Penance
by strictlyficly
Summary: Bonnie knows that because it's in the name of Elena that they think she'll forget their differences and throw on her cape and help save the day. Well she hopes they have a Plan B. Set after 3x20
1. Chapter 1

"You're kidding, right?" Bonnie frowns looking back and forth between Stefan and Damon as they stand in front of her, arms folded over her chest as she waits for them to answer even though she knows that they are completely serious. Obviously thinking that because it's in the name of Elena that she'll forget their differences and throw on her cape and help save the day. Well she hopes that they have a Plan B.

It's the night of the twenties dance and Elena has ran off and gotten herself in another mess.

Shocking.

Bonnie's just surprised that she managed to slip past her security detail.

"Look," Damon starts "I get that you're pissed but this is Elena. Your best friend. Are you really going to let your hatred for me get her killed?"

"Get over yourself Damon. This has nothing to do with you. For me to hate you would imply that I gave a damn about you in the first place. Or that I had expectations from you. And neither are applicable. At least not when it comes to you. I can't say the same for your brother however." Bonnie mutters "Regardless, my refusal to help has nothing to do with either of you. I just don't want to. It's not that I don't care about Elena, because I do. I'm just tired of being the one that ends up getting hurt. Remember finding out Katherine never really loved you and multiply that by five." Bonnie pauses, opening her mouth when she sees the hatred in Damon's eyes "That's what it's like for me every time I've decided to help Elena without considering what will happen to me after she's saved."

"Are we done here, or are you going to continue to waste both of our time?"

"Bonnie," Stefan starts only to be cut off.

"If the next words to come out of your mouth is that you're sorry or to ask me to forgive you or to give you another chance or whatever other bullshit excuse you've managed to pull out of your ass this time I would suggest that you stop right there and shove it. Like I told Damon, I'm done. So I would suggest that you find another witch, because I'm done being screwed over."

When the two brothers merely stare back at her twin looks of surprise on their faces Bonnie rolls her eyes and walks around them feeling their eyes on her as she walks away. Once she reaches the door she sees Elena standing on the other side a mixture of shock and fear apparent in her eyes she debates between pulling her into her arms and continuing to leave but ends up deciding on the latter. Ignoring the twinge she feels once Elena's hurt hits her at full force as she walks away.

* * *

Stefan shifts feeling a wave of apprehension wash over him as he waits for the door to open. It had been weeks since anyone―with the exception of Caroline and Matt―had heard from Bonnie. And since they would refuse to share what they knew, he, Damon and Elena knew little to nothing about how she was doing. So here he was on what was probably the worst day for him to show up at her door, trying to make amends with the young witch.

Bonnie is just about to open the door when she hears the doorbell ring and she's tempted to drop her bag and hightail it back upstairs knowing it's no one that she has a desire to see. It's the anniversary of her Gram's death and she was just about to head to the cemetery to pay her a visit. After a brief debate she decides to brush whoever it is off and braces herself before opening the door.

Except her plans of ignoring whoever it is goes out the window when she sees Stefan on the other side,

"You need to leave." She says in a voice that even she doesn't recognize, watching as he flinches.

"Bon-"

"I said. Leave." She repeats holding his stare, watching as he takes a step back as she passes the threshold pulling the door closed behind her.

"Bonnie, please."

"I don't have the time or the energy to even pretend like I give the slightest bit of a damn about what you could possibly have to say to me. The fact that you could even show up at my door on today of all days shows how little you even think of me."

"That's why I'm here."

"That's even worse." Bonnie replies unlocking her car, placing her duffle bag in the backseat.

"You shouldn't be alone-"

"It's no different then last year."

"That's not true." He frowns, watching as Bonnie blinks before mirroring his expression.

"And how would you know that?"

"I came to check on you but I saw Caroline sitting outside while you…" he sighs remembering her venting to the blonde about he and his brother "talked to her on the phone."

Bonnie stares up at him, lips parted before shaking her head and walking around him "I don't have time for this."

"Okay, then we'll just stand here but I'm not leaving."

Bonnie frowns but then shrugs "Okay." she lifts her hand sending Stefan to his knees, watching as he clutches his head before falling over to his side "Stay as long as you like." She throws out over her shoulder as she steps over him placing her duffel bag onto the backseat before sliding behind the wheel of her car. Peeling out onto the road without sparing him another glance.

Twenty minutes later Bonnie is pulling her car to a stop at the Mystic Falls Cemetery, staring aimlessly at the countless gravestones. Tears lining the bottom of her eyes as she tries to steady her breath.

"Get it together Bonnie." She scolds herself, frowning at the fact that she was on the verge of a breakdown from the mere thought of getting out of her car. She closes her eyes and lets her head fall back against the headrest for a few moments before pushing herself to get out of her car, slinging her bag over her shoulder as she starts the trek across the graveyard.

When she reaches her destination she feels her eyes water, the reality of the situation hitting her at full force and she frowns wondering why it felt like this. It wasn't like she felt like none of this was real before this moment but seeing her Gram's name etched in stone before her just hit her like a slap to the face. She felt numb and before she knew it tears were streaming down her face, upon the realization she immediately lifts her hands to wipe them away.

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore." she whispers "I know my job is to serve nature and keep the balance but how do I do that when my family is what I'm supposed to hate and...destroy? And of course they're tied to what is the biggest abomination of them all. I'm trying to keep everyone safe and keep those who are fortunate enough to not know what goes bump in the night in the dark but it's getting harder to do so. The lines are blurring and I can't tell what's wrong and what's right. I'm doing everything I can and it's not enough. Everytime I think I'm done something new comes along and I'm back to square one. I can't take it anymore. Everyone keeps saying I'm strong and powerful and to an extent I am but how strong am I really if I'm allowing myself to be bossed around by vampires? And ones that don't even give a crap about me at that."

Bonnie sighs "You told me that my greatest power is my instinct and to always trust to it so, that's what I'm going to do. Starting today, I am going to try―I am going to uphold my promise to you to be the woman that you raised me to be. And if that means losing a couple of friends along the way then...so be it. Not all friendships are meant to last forever. It just blows that it took me this long to realize that. Maybe you'd still be here with me if I realized that sooner." She folds her lips and kneels down to place the bouquet of flowers in front of the headstone before bringing her index and middle finger to her lips before pressing it onto her Gram's name, closing her eyes starting to chant, sending her love to the Spirits, only stopping when she feels a gentle breeze, an indication that her message was received.

"I'll make you proud to call me your Granddaughter, I promise."

Bonnie glances at the bag deciding to use it's contents for her next visit,

"I love you, Grams."

Bonnie takes one final look at the headstone before slinging the bag over her shoulder and turning to walk away, freezing when she feels another presence, for a moment she thinks that it's Caroline but when she feels a sharp pain in the small of her back she tenses. Her first instinct is to do an encore of what happened at her home but she stops herself once she sees a girl who couldn't be more than fourteen on her knees, tears streaming down her face as she stares at the headstone in front of her, in her peripheral. No need to send her into a state of distress than she already is so Bonnie merely takes a deep breath before addressing her unwelcomed guest,

"If I made it clear that I didn't want to see you at my home, what makes you think that I'd want to see you anywhere near my Grandmother's grave?"

"Bon-"

"You want me to forgive you?" Bonnie turns to face him, continuing when he nods "Leave me alone."

Stefan frowns and opens his mouth only to be cut off by Bonnie.

"I want one month of a Salvatore free existence. I don't want you to call me, I don't want you to 'look out for me'," she uses air quotes "I don't want you to even look at me. Pretend that everything is fine, and no one's life is at stake. That should be easy enough. I mean that's the only reason you even look my way in the first place. Do that and maybe, _just_ maybe, I'll consider you worth a second thought. You might want to pass that along to your brother and Elena. In case I wasn't clear enough, it extends to them too."

When Bonnie sees a flash of hurt in Stefan's eyes she feels a twinge and she sighs,

"Stefan, I-"

"One month." Stefan cuts her off, his voice void of any emotion, speeding away before Bonnie can say anything else.


	2. Chapter 2

"I just want to last the year."

"Do you know how sad that sounds?" Bonnie asks as she stirs her drink, briefly meeting Matt's eyes from his place across the table.

It's been a two going on three weeks since she's requested her Salvatore free existence. She can admit to being curious about what's going on but other than that, it's been pretty damn good. During the first week she had been a little lost, not sure what to do with herself and she was a little wary of leaving her house, throwing herself in spells to pass the time. But eventually she got over it and after a full week of just focusing on herself, whether it was doing something as simple as getting her nails done or doing her homework for once, she found out what she liked to do. What her favorite class was, what she enjoyed before the Salvatores barged their way into her best friend's life and her's by extension. She finds it a little pathetic that she forgot something as simple as what her favorite food was but with everything that she had been doing, she cut herself a little slack―even though she knew she willingly took the job of her town's protector―she likes to think that would be enough for anyone to lose theirself

"Or realistic." He counters, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Same thing." Bonnie states, her lips finding her straw as she raises her glass, taking a sip, closing her eyes as the liquid burns as it slides down her throat.

Matt looks at her before eventually giving in to her argument when she goes on to point out that there isn't much of a difference between the sentiments nowadays. Though Bonnie has successfully managed to get the hell out of dodge,

"How did you do it?"

"I asked." Bonnie shrugs knowing exactly what he's talking about.

"I'm serious." Bonnie says through a laugh when Matt gives her a look that makes it clear that he doesn't believe her "Stefan tried to apologize again, and I told him to fuck off. But then he followed me when I went to visit my Grams and I told him if he wanted me to consider forgiving him then he'd give me a month to myself."

"What?" Bonnie frowns when Matt smiles looking down.

"Do you promise to not get mad?"

"No." She answers, smiling when Matt grins.

"Did something...happen between you and Stefan?"

"No, why?"

"He's just been a little more broody then usual."

Bonnie tilts her head wondering what that had to do with her. If she were to bet on who would actually be affected by her absence, it would be Damon, but only because he no longer had his 'secret weapon' in his arsenal. Speaking of Damon she wonders how Stefan managed to get him to agree to her request. Maybe he had him locked in a basement or something. That was the only way she could think of that would effectively get him to comply.

"I don't understand what that has to do with me."

"Elena just said that he's been a little distant lately."

Bonnie wants to point out that it could be because she's torn between him and his brother but refrains.

"So they're back together?"

"Not exactly."

"Damon took off to find something with Elijah, so now Elena is spending more time with Stefan but he's just…'somewhere else'." Matt elaborates when Bonnie gives him a blank stare.

"Since when do you and Elena do girl talk?" Bonnie grins, a playful glint in her eyes.

"Since the actual girls in her life decided to go awol."

"Caroline hasn't gone awol, she just has a lot going on right now and she's pretty much in the middle of a tug of war and a pissing match." Bonnie defends referring to her not being on speaking terms with Elena and the whole Klaus and Tyler thing.

"And who's fault is that?" Matt replies unapologetically.

"Matt," Bonnie sighs "to be fair, she didn't ask for any of this."

"And we did?"

"No, but she didn't force us to stay. Our loyalty did."

Matt knows that Bonnie's right but he can't help but feel a little resentment towards the brunette. Elena may not have asked to be the doppelganger but that didn't take away her choice of who she allows to remain a constant in her life. But before he can say that outloud his phone chirps and when he sees Damon's name flash across the screen, he immediately starts to push it away until he sees Caroline's right after.

"Matt?" Bonnie frowns noticing the look on her friend's face, but she doesn't get to ask what's wrong because her phone starts to ring.

"Hey Care, what's up?"

"Don't hate me."

Bonnie closes her eyes and lets her head fall back against the back of the booth.

"I know you're still on vacation but this is really important."

Bonnie takes her straw out of her glass and downs the rest in one go,

"Okay, how important?"

"Like we could all end up in caskets, important."

"All?"

"All." Caroline echoes, her voice cracking slightly.

"Okay, but after this…"

"Yeah, he knows."

For some reason Bonnie feels her heart start to race and she curses when she finds herself suddenly on her feet walking towards the door on autopilot, "I'll be there in ten minutes." She states before hanging up. Looking over her shoulder to make sure Matt's behind her instead of still sitting at their booth pretending the last two minutes hadn't happened. Only to find his eyes traveling up her body when she fully turns to face him, an amused smile on her lips when she sees him turn red. Laughing when he clears his throat continuing to walk even though she's stopped.

"Were you just-"

"No." He cuts her off walking to the front door of the Grill, holding it open waiting for her to go through first, ignoring the smile on her face as she walks past him.

-X-

"Well it's about time you got here Donovan," Damon says watching as Matt walks into the living room of the boarding house from his seat on the chair "What took you so…" He trails off when he sees Bonnie walk into the room, her appearance throwing him off.

Stefan looks up from his phone when his brother trails off, though he understands when he follows his gaze to see Bonnie walking into the room behind Matt in a black lace long sleeved crop top, white high waist jeans paired with black pumps. Dark makeup making her green eyes pop, her dark hair curled to perfection and he frowns not liking what their entrance implies.

"Did I interrupt something?" Damon asks, eyes narrowed.

"Actually you did." Bonnie replies flipping her hair over her shoulder "But I'm here so," She motions her hand as if she were telling him to get to the point she takes a seat next to Caroline ignoring both Elena and Stefan's stares.

"You and the Quarterback?" Damon frowns "Really?"

"Are you going to continue to insult your crush's taste in men or are you going to tell me why I'm here?"

Damon makes a face at her but rushes to get to the point when he sees Bonnie start to get up from her seat.

"Long story short, Alaric's gone over the edge. Thanks to your bestie," he glances at Elena who rolls her eyes "he's Mikael 2.0 and is on a warpath to kill everyone."

"I'm not seeing what this has to do with me." Bonnie replies, crossing her legs.

Damon rolls his eyes and points to Caroline who looks hurt by Bonnie's indifference.

"Caroline and Tyler are safe, so whatever happens, happens." Bonnie shrugs, getting up from her seat, not surprised in the slightest when Damon is suddenly in front of her.

"What?"

"Caroline and Tyler aren't linked to the Sire of their line anymore, so this is not a conflict of interest for me. So if Alaric manages to kill your Sire, Caroline and Tyler are safe because their ties are severed."

Damon deflates when Bonnie's words sink in. But feels a flare of anger run through him at the reveal.

"What about Abby?"

"She's my mother."

Damon scoffs and turns away from her "That abandoned you, twice!"

"And whose fault is that? We may not be on the best of terms right now but she is my mother."

"Bon-"

"You want me to save you when this is the only way that I'll be rid of you for good?"

Damon looks at her, disbelief clear on his face. He knew Bonnie was angry but he didn't think it was to this extent. He starts to pull the trump card but he's left stunned by the next stream of words that pass her lips.

"I bet you're really regretting that bullshit apology right now." Bonnie says holding his stare "All the times you talked down to me, screwed me over and almost killed me. Or you're just plotting a way to finally get what you've been chasing after for the last year before you finally bite it."

"Bonnie-"

"I don't want to hear it Damon. Like I said before, I'm done being screwed over. You want to live? I've already told you who you need to protect. As far as I'm concerned, I've helped you. Even though you don't deserve it."

"But Stefan does?" He taunts when she's at the threshold, smirking when she stills.

Bonnie smiles and turns back around to face him.

"He was going to kill you."

Bonnie tilts her head keeping her eyes on Damon "Well, duh. I'm a witch, you idiot. I knew that the moment he touched me. Neither one of you wanted to lose your chance with Elena so you decided who would have the honors on the outcome of a coin. He loss. In case you were going to bring that up next. Inbetween that and how Abby ended up getting her neck snapped, I don't know what happened. So I decided to do one of my own." Bonnie smiles when Damon shifts "Heads; find out who your Sire is and send Alaric in the opposite direction. Or tails;" she pauses looking at Stefan who tenses "find out who your Sire is and send him straight towards them. I got tails so I unlinked Tyler and Caroline, put a restraining spell on Matt so you couldn't touch him, and a little extra just in case you found out you couldn't use him against me and decided to sit back and let you save yourself for once. Me letting you know who your pseudo father is wasn't in my plan but, you're welcome."

"If you two had gotten your head out of your asses long enough you would have known that instead of being worried about Elena not wanting either of you anymore after killing my" she points to herself "mother to save her. You would have known that you should have been worried about how I would retaliate. And until now neither one of you had gotten it through your head that Elena isn't the one who's ass you should be kissing, it's mine. But better late than never." Bonnie shrugs looking back and forth between Stefan and Damon.

"Call me a bitch, call me heartless, call me whatever you want. It won't matter for much longer anyway." Bonnie states as she walks backwards "And for future reference, your Trump Card is expired. Elena's wants or needs no longer come before mine." She smiles turning on her heel to leave.

"What about Jeremy?" Damon calls out, smirking when she stops but it falls when she starts to laugh turning back around to face him with a grin on her face.

"Are you seriously trying to use Elena's brother as leverage on me to save your life? Right in front of her?" Bonnie looks at him in pure disbelief when she sees that he's completely serious "In case you forgot...which you probably did, Jeremy isn't my boyfriend. He's my ex. Who I broke up with because he cheated on me with his dead girlfriend. So...do what you have to do Damon. If you want to kill Jeremy to get back at me for refusing to save your life" she looks up at him "go for it."

"You're bluffing."

Bonnie looks at him.

"You unlinked the Originals when Klaus used him against you."

"And to think if I didn't unlink them we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now. If you're so sure that I'm bluffing, call it Damon. Just remember that unlike the whole Abby thing, this would actually destroy your chance with Elena. You know, if you survive. Threatening Jeremy or anyone I care about won't get anyone what they want from me anymore. I'm done putting other people before me. If this causes everyone to turn their backs on me then so be it. It's not like anyone in here besides Care and Matt, has looked my way unless they needed something from me anyway. So do what you have to do Damon." Bonnie says with a lift of her shoulders turning on her heel to leave, not wanting to give anyone a chance to protest her claim. Besides from the guilt she feels radiating from everyone she knows that they know that she's right.

* * *

The next day Bonnie finds herself on the football field doing stretches along with the other cheerleaders as they talk about random topics waiting for cheerleading practice to start. A smile on her face at the normalcy of it all but she was waiting for something bad to happen. After she left the boarding house last night she fully expected to find a Salvatore waiting for her on her porch but to her surprise she arrived to an empty home with the exception of her father doing paperwork at the table. A scowl on his face when he saw her appearance, asking how Caroline was, having clearly expected it to be her doing.

"What's up with Rebekah and Tyler? I thought he was Caroline's."

Bonnie blinks being brought out of her thoughts, turning her head along with everyone else to follow Tiki's line of sight, eyebrows raising when she sees Rebekah grinning like an idiot as she touches Tyler's shoulder, before she starts to search for Caroline. Spotting the blonde walking past the Hybrid and Original looking as if it's taking everything in her to keep it together, turning to Bonnie to assure her that she won't do anything drastic.

"If that's your way of asking if Ty is up for grabs, the answer is no." Bonnie replies glancing back over to Tiki, continuing her stretches after seeing Caroline nod.

"What about him?" Cassie questions spotting Stefan along with his brother. Taking it as her chance to see if the rumours of he and Elena had broken up were true.

Bonnie sighs in annoyance but looks over to see Stefan staring back at her along with Damon who smiles and waves.

"They'll eat you alive." Bonnie replies with a smile her eyes still on the two brothers, Damon making a face while Stefan's lip quirks upward in amusement to which Bonnie frowns having expected a different reaction.

"Is that a challenge?" Tiki steps in.

"Your funeral." Bonnie shrugs, shifting until she's in a split before pulling herself up from the ground when Caroline claps her hands ordering everyone to get into formation. Glaring at Rebekah when the Original breezes past her, walking over to stand beside Bonnie who raises an eyebrow at her before putting a barrier around herself so she can't get too close.

"Rebekah, so glad you could join us." Caroline says her voice, managing to sound both cheery and menacing, sending looks to several cheerleaders when they snicker at Rebekah's reply.

"Careful Caroline, you're insecurities are showing."

When Bonnie sees Caroline attempt to take a step forward she puts up a shield and shakes her head when Caroline's eyes meet hers.

Rebekah frowns watching Caroline and Bonnie have a whole conversation without a single word passing their lips. A smile pulling at the corner of her mouth when Caroline glowers at her before starting practice.

Two hours later Caroline dismisses them all, a frown settling across her features when she sees Bonnie and Rebekah laughing and without thinking she speeds over to them, apologizing when Bonnie jumps.

"What's so funny?"

"Rebekah was just telling me about…" Bonnie trails off and frowns when she sees Stefan and Damon approaching them, "What do you want?"

Rebekah raises an eyebrow at the hostility in the witch's voice. She had heard that she and the Salvatores were on the outs but she assumed that she would have put their differences aside and would be helping them trying to find a way to save them all but by the looks of it, it seems like she needs to get her brothers and tell them that they need to switch to Plan B.

"We need to talk."

"No we don't." Bonnie replies walking around them.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

Bonnie stops and slowly turns around, to see Damon standing directly in front of her.

"I should have come to you and told you what was going on, instead of…"

"Forcing your blood down my mother's throat and snapping her neck?" Bonnie offers when the elder Salvatore stops, a look resembling guilt clouding his features.

"Say it." Bonnie whispers when he nods.

"Bon-"

"Say. It." She repeats, her voice hardening as she stares up at him.

Damon closes his eyes letting out a long frustrated breath before swallowing his pride, almost deciding to hell with it when he sees the smug look in Bonnie's eyes but remembers that his life is literally on the line,

"I am sorry for forcing vampirism on Abby. I shouldn't have done that to her, or to you."

Bonnie studies him for a moment then tilts her head to the side after giving him a once over. As if she were committing his appearance to memory.

"I'm not sure what I should be more offended by; that you honestly believe that I would think that you're sorry for what you did or that you actually think that I would be ignorant enough to accept your apology. I asked for one month and you couldn't even give me that."

"Oh please, we both know that you wouldn't have taken that as an apology."

"So you thought that disregarding my request and giving me a bullshit apology would work instead?"

"It's not a bullshit apology."

"Then why don't I believe you?"

"Because you want me dead."

"Damon, there are a lot of things that I want. And none of those things are in any relation to you whatsoever."

Damon lets out a humourless chuckle and looks away from Bonnie.

"What I need is for you to grow the hell up and start acting your age. What I need is for you to pretend that your life isn't on the line so you will leave me the hell alone."

Bonnie laughs when he looks at her in disbelief.

"Name one time that you called me just to say hi or to see how I was doing. Just one."

"Exactly." Bonnie smiles when he says nothing. "Give me what I need and maybe I'll give you what you want."

"And what would that be?"

"Your life."

He snorts.

"Believe it or not, the world will be perfectly fine without you walking it. Your life isn't a necessity Damon, it's a privilege. One that only three people benefit from and one of them is you. And the other two aren't enough to make me want to save you." Bonnie smiles watching the flash of rage in his eyes before walking around him, fully prepared to attack if need be.

"So you're going to let thousands of vampires die just to get rid of me?"

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I'm just giving you a chance to prove to me that you're actually worth saving or if you can manage to grow the hell up and do it on your own without the help of a seventeen year old girl. And so far you're not doing a good job at either. You claim that you came here to apologize but I'm sure it was because Elena told you to and asked Stefan to go with you to make sure if I flipped out then he'd be here to save you. Just like he always does. And like I said neither of them will be enough to do so. So if you want to continue to give me bullshit apologies and proceed to throw out insults and veiled threats when I see that they aren't genuine then that's fine with me. Whether you live or not makes no difference to me just like whether I live or not makes no difference to you now that I'm done being your servant."

"That's how you see yourself?"

"Pretty hard not to when your so called best friend only calls you when she needs your help or when she's not agonizing over which dick she wants to ride." Bonnie snarls, narrowing her eyes when Damon laughs.

"This isn't about me. You're using this as an excuse to get back at Elena."

"If I wanted to get back at Elena I'd go to Stefan and see if he knows about what happened on your deathbed. Or I'd tell you about what happened on the night she and Stefan almost died in a fire. Or I'd hand her over to Klaus myself. There are many ways to get back at Elena. The reason behind wanting to see how this all plays out has nothing to do with Elena. The Gilberts are no longer a priority in my life. Do I still care about them? Of course. Just because I only see a shell of my best friend doesn't erase the past, it just means that her happiness and her life no longer come before mine. I can see that this is a concept that you won't believe until you see it for yourself. So if you want to see that I was completely serious from the Other Side then that's fine with me. If you want to test it out before you die…" Bonnie trails off with a shrug "I'm not going to stop you. And before you or anyone else thinks about putting your hands on me, whatever happens to me happens to Elena. So keep that in mind before you try to take matters into your own hands. And if this does end with us transitioning. Whether it's your fault or anyone else's. I'll become your worst nightmare." Bonnie smiles when she sees the fear in his eyes "Have a nice night Damon."

As Bonnie walks away she feels everyone's eyes on her and as soon as she gets to her car she rifles through her bag until she finds a vial with black liquid, bracing herself before she takes a small sip of the elixir. Watching the veins sprawl beneath the surface of her skin her eyes flashing a teal color. Before she drives off.

* * *

"No." Elena frowns shaking her head "Bonnie wouldn't do that." Turning her gaze to Caroline who has a sad look in her eyes as she nods.

"Maybe if I talk to her…"

"No."

"That wasn't a question." Elena looks back to Damon an incredulous look on her face.

"Bonnie is gone."

"Or she's done taking your shit." Caroline retorts "If you had listened to her you would know that she just wants you to apologize."

"I did." Damon growls taking a step towards the blonde who doesn't even flinch.

"Damon your words don't mean anything. They're empty. Everyone can see that. The only difference is Bonnie just said it out loud."

"Then what do you suggest that we do?"

Caroline looked at him trying to figure out if he's serious and when she sees that he is she closes her eyes "Oh my...it's like talking to a wall." she mutters getting up from her seat "Pretend that Bonnie is Elena. Just do what you would do if she actually had the reaction that you expected her to have at killing Bonnie's mother. Pretend that she shut you out and just do whatever you would do to get her to talk to you again. But if whatever that is is trying to grope her or just try to make her forget by seducing her or just glazing over her anger and continue to try to get between her legs then just forget it and keep chasing after Elena." Caroline says holding Damon's eyes "Or you can just try to tag along on whatever Stefan is going to do. You know...since you are only capable of doing nice things for Elena." She throws out the barb over her shoulder as she leaves Damon alone with Elena who stares after her with a stunned expression on her face. Though she shouldn't really be surprised considering she's never really had a filter.

"Where are you going?"

"To talk to Bonnie."

"What part of no did you not understand?"

"The part where you thought I would actually listen." Elena says with a bite in her voice that surprises Damon as much as it does herself.


	3. Chapter 3

Damon sits in silence trying to figure out the nicest way to say "I told you so." as possible as he watches Elena wait patiently for Bonnie to answer the door. She's rung the doorbell three times in the span of seven minutes and the witch has yet to give in. He knows that she's home, her car is in the driveway. He's willing to bet that she's picked up on his presence thus the cold shoulder but the fact that she's willing to shut out Elena because of him does have him a bit on edge. Aside from him and his brother, Bonnie is the one person that could never deny Elena anything. But considering her tongue lashing from earlier...

"She's not home."

"What?" Damon frowns being brought out of his thoughts.

"She's not home." Elena repeats climbing into the passenger side of his camaro.

"What do you mean she's not home?" he decides to play along "It's one o'clock in the morning where could she…" Damon trails off when he sees a sleek black car pulling into Bonnie's driveway. Watching along with Elena as a tall man with fair skin, brown hair and light blue eyes in a perfectly tailored black suit gets out of the driver's side, strolling over to the passenger side with a cool expression on his face. If it weren't for the glasses he was currently wearing Damon would actually think him to be someone to watch out for.

While the implications of what's going on are clear as day, Damon can't bring himself to accept it. But when he sees a tiny caramel hued hand take the one the man offers as two feet encased in blood red heels swing out of the car, he's left stunned. Watching as little Bonnie Bennett comes into view, her normally dark curls styled in loose waves, the earthy tone makeup he's come to associate with her with traded in for a smokey eye, lips painted a dark red. Letting his eyes trail down her body he sees she's in a skin tight black dress that leaves very little to the imagination coming to a stop just above her knees.

In short she looks sexy as hell.

But that doesn't mean that he likes it, at least not under the circumstances that he still can't bring himself to accept.

While Elena watches on a look of pure disbelief. It's not that Elena didn't know that Bonnie could pull that off, as much as she never thought that she'd see the day that her normally reserved friend realized that she could.

"I hope tonight didn't kill my chance at a second date."

That's the sentence that effectively breaks Damon out of his stupor and before he can stop himself he's out of his car, only vaguely aware of Elena's protest.

"Damon," Elena frowns "Damon wait," Scrambling to get out of the car and stop him from doing something that Bonnie would make him regret.

"This wasn't a date." Bonnie replies with a straight face though her eyes show that she's more amused than anything else.

And just like that Damon feels an emotion that he doesn't want to put a name to at the moment fade away. Though it only gives him little pause before he continues to make his way towards the two currently standing on the porch oblivious to anything but each other.

"Yes it was."

"Richie…"

Damon snorts, with a name like that, how could he expect it to be one? But when he sees Richie's hand on the small of Bonnie's back, a gasp falling from the witch's lips as he pulls her closer he can't help but feel the need to make his presence known.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Damon steps in, glaring at the hand that Richie may very well be on the verge of losing if he doesn't let Bonnie go in the next five seconds.

"Who is this?"

At the question Damon frowns directing one of his own after feeling a tiny blow to his ego. He would've thought that even if he and Bonnie weren't exactly on speaking terms she would have at least given soon to be John Doe here a heads up.

"Who are you?"

Richie grins at the question and pulls out his gun in the next instant after moving so Bonnie is behind him.

"Richie," Bonnie calls him her voice containing just a hint of amusement.

"Yes?" Richie responds undoing the safety, making a point of flashing his visage when Damon does nothing but smile.

"Relax, he's...he's…" Bonnie struggles to find a title that would fit what Damon is to her.

"A friend?" Richie suggests, keeping his eyes on Damon.

"No," Bonnie shakes her head, her voice sounding as if the mere thought offended her "more like a forced ally." Ignoring the scoff Damon makes at her response.

Richie slowly lowers the gun and turns his gaze back to Bonnie who lets out a breath of relief until he pulls the trigger. To which she sighs raising her hands to cloak them all just in case the neighbors started to peek outside and braces herself for the fight that is sure to start, but to her surprise all she hears is a loud groan followed by a thump accompanied with a loud scream.

"He moved." Richie defends himself when Bonnie looks at him after turning to around to see Damon on the ground, clutching at the wound right below his knee cap while Elena is right by his side, brown eyes filled with fear as she meets her stare.

"Did you not feed today or something?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow after seeing that Damon is actually in pain having decided to ignore Elena's theatrics. The girl dealt with supernatural beings who fought the urge to drain her dry on a daily basis but the sight of a man with a gun could actually strike a chord of fear in her. But then she remembers that Elena is human, and as such could actually be hurt. Then again it's not like the man before her would even hesitate to have taken the bullet for her.

"Wooden bullet." Damon gets out through a groan once he pulls it out.

Bonnie raises her hand to the culebra's chest when she sees that he's staring at Elena, shaking her head when he frowns in response.

"I'll call you when everything is handled. Until then do me a favor and tell your brother to back off or I'm calling everything off. Okay?"

"I can stay." He offers.

"Goodnight Richie."

Richie smiles and nods, quickly bowing his head planting a lingering kiss on her cheek before she can react,

"Goodnight Bonnie." He stares at her for a moment before walking around her, not bothering to look at Damon but does look at Elena for a moment, blinking several times after getting over her appearance.

"Okay, what is it?" Bonnie asks after he drives off.

"Okay, what is it?" Damon repeats as he looks at Bonnie in disbelief "He just shot me!"

Bonnie isn't sure if it's the alcohol or if this is how she really feels about the situation because instead of feeling alarmed that she barely acknowledged that Damon was shot, all she feels is the urge to laugh. Yet she knows that Damon only comes to see her when he needs something and she doesn't have the energy to deal with him tonight. So she just stares at the vampire for a moment before letting out a long breath.

"Yeah, I'm not doing this with you tonight. You're a vampire Damon and it's not like he shot you anywhere near your heart. Besides, you're up and bitching at me so you're obviously not all that fazed by it." She waves him off as she turns her back to him taking her keys out of her clutch.

"Wait,"

Bonnie sighs and turns back around motioning for him to talk.

"Elena wants to talk to you."

"That doesn't explain why _you_ are on my porch, but whatever." She shrugs as she turns on her heel, inserting her key into the lock. Letting out a sigh of relief as she kicks her heels off as soon as she passes the threshold. Tossing her clutch onto her couch as she disappears into her kitchen.

After getting over her shock of Bonnie's actions Elena tentatively walks inside, taking a deep breath before she turns back around to see Damon standing at the doorway, looking at her expectantly.

"I'm not inviting him in." Bonnie says as she walks past Elena and Damon heading straight for the stairs without waiting for Elena's next move.

Elena swallows and looks down giving Damon an indignant look when he looks at her telling her that it's time to go. Ignoring his protests as she closes the door in his face, turning the lock before turning to go to Bonnie's room.

When she gets to the doorway she sees Bonnie taking a seat at her vanity. As she tries to find something to say she lets her eyes roam around the room noticing the changes. The most off putting being the lack of the picture of them on their first day of preschool on her nightstand.

"It's on the table behind you." Bonnie says picking up on her distress, returning her gaze to her reflection as she starts to take off her earrings.

"So," Elena starts "you have a boyfriend."

Bonnie feels a small tug at the corner of her lips "Elena, we both know you're not here to talk about my love life. So let's skip past the attempt at girl talk and get to why you're here." she nearly rolls her eyes when Elena looks affronted "The last time you came here was to talk to me about Damon and the time before that it was about Stefan as were the other times before. The last time we just...talked was the day before Stefan showed up. So please don't act like I'm lashing out at you when I just don't feel like acting like we're still friends."

"We are friends." Elena states adamantly as she takes a step further into the room.

"Really?" Bonnie questions turning around to face her.

"Yes," Elena answers as if it was something that should never be questioned in the first place.

"Then why didn't you come to see how I was doing on the anniversary of Grams' death? Why did I have to find about Jeremy and Anna through Caroline instead of you when _you_ were the one that saw them? Why do I only hear from you when you need something?"

"I didn't think you'd want to see me. I thought that Jeremy should have been the one to tell you, I didn't think you should have to hear it from anyone else."

Bonnie smiles when she doesn't address the last question. At least she knew that there was no excuse for that.

"You're right," Bonnie admits "I didn't want to see you. But a phone call or a text wouldn't have hurt. And Elena we both know that's bullshit. What guy comes clean about cheating unless he's forced to? Jeremy would have continued smiling in my face, pretending everything was okay. One hand in mine, the other in Anna's. And everyone would let him, because they know that I would just end up forgiving him anyway. Because, why not? I'm constantly putting my life on the line for someone that only looks at me when dumb and dumber are off somewhere dealing with their man pain, Caroline is with Tyler and Matt is working. I'm allowing my attempted murderers to walk around, talk down to me and order me around like I'm their servant." Bonnie stops and forces herself to take a deep breath knowing that her words are falling on deaf ears "Just tell me why you're here."

"Bonnie-"

"Or you can just leave." She cuts the doppelgänger off, turning back around to face her mirror. Counting the seconds until she starts to speak again.

"Is it true?"

"That you linked us." Elena adds when Bonnie doesn't respond.

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"I realized that I was expendable. The Salvatores thought that whoever killed Abby would be the one that you wouldn't chose. They thought that whoever killed her would be out of the running. I want you to really think about that Elena, they thought that you would turn your back on them but that didn't happen. If anything it seemed to make you even more confused on who you wanted. Damon snapped her neck and instead of kicking his ass to the curb you let him feel you up at a sketchy motel. Stefan was going to kill me and instead of cutting him out of your life you asked him to be your date to the dance." Bonnie pauses shifting her gaze to glance at Elena, seeing the guilt marring her features.

"Deep down I knew that there was nothing that could tear you away from them but after Abby it really made me accept that I was expendable to you too. When I found out about what happened in Denver and saw you with Stefan at the decade dance, I realized that just like them, I was holding onto the old Elena. You know the one that would have done just that, just as much as they are. And then it hit me, that because they only worry about how things would affect you, that I could make that work for me. So now, whether they like it or not they have to keep me alive to keep you alive. I know that it doesn't mean they give a shit about me but they can't just disregard my life because what happens to _me_ happens to _you_."

"Bonnie, I never meant to make you feel that way and I never wanted that to happen to Abby. You have to know that."

"I do." Bonnie confirms watching the small smile and light that appears in her friend's eyes "But that doesn't change that you did or that my mother lost her life to save yours. But in your defense I don't really think that she would have fought if she knew why she was having blood forced down her throat that night. I mean, after all she did leave me to save your life in the first place." Bonnie shrugs.

"Bon,"

"I know that you didn't ask her to but she did. It's funny, our moms were best friends. My mom left her daughter so her best friend's would be alive and well but ended up losing her life in the end. Emily…while not exactly bffs with Katherine died because of her. Are you seeing the pattern here? The loyalty that the women in my family have towards the women in your's always ends up with us six feet under. While Abby is alive in a sense, that doesn't change the fact that she lost her life. And yes, I am completely aware that you didn't want that to happen but it did. And while I don't want to have to cut you out of my life" Bonnie pauses "I will if it means that I get to live. Because I deserve it. I deserve to be happy just as much as you or anyone else around here does." Bonnie looks down when she sees a single tear slide down Elena's face.

"As for saving Damon and Stefan, I-"

"I understand." Elena cuts her off not wanting to have to actually hear the words.

Bonnie looks up, taking in the heartbroken look that Elena has perfected over the past year on her face. And even though she knew that she'd hear the next words that come out of Elena's mouth at some point, it still manages to throw her through a loop.

"Are we okay?" Elena asks, after a deafening silence falls over them.

"Elena, as long as you have a Salvatore on each arm, we will never be okay."

…

Outside Damon hangs on every word, his knuckles white as his grip tightens around the steering wheel when he hears a sob erupt from Elena. As soon as he sees the door open he clears his throat and tries to put a neutral expression on his face. He half expects to see Bonnie running after Elena but when he only sees Elena making her way towards his car, tears running down her face, he tries to pick up on what the witch is doing. After several moments of straining he gives up and he feels a whole new wave of rage wash over him once it clicks that Bonnie _let_ him hear their conversation but he can't help but feel a small stab of pride at her actions. It was something that he would do. After that sets in he can't help but feel uneasy at the realization.

The women of Bonnie's family were all headstrong and self righteous. When he was met with the latest of Emily's descendants, he fully expected that with Bonnie and that was exactly what he got until she came to realize that despite what he was they wanted the same thing; Elena to be safe. So he used that to his advantage. He knew sometimes he went a little overboard but all he needed to do was remind her that it was for Elena and just like that, her anger was gone. It was only now that he realized that he pushed her just a little too far. If she was over Elena, he might as well start choosing his headstone right now. But first,

"Do you want to talk about it?" The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them.

"Just take me home." Elena responds, a hint of anger in her voice. She knows he means well but she doesn't like that he was listening to what was supposed to be a private conversation.

 **-X-**

Four days.

Before her request of a Salvatore free month, that was the longest Stefan had gone without any type of contact from Bonnie since he drafted her into his war with Klaus. In between the time of their somewhat forced partnership she had managed to make him remember how nice it was to have someone to talk to, whether it was a phone call in the spur of the moment during the day or random texts late at night. At first they started with the progress of the coffins but eventually they were done just because one of them felt like it. She made him remember what it was like to have someone to talk him down from the ledge and drag his ass back from the deep end. Someone that despite knowing what he is and what he's capable of, completely aware of his past and still manage to not be afraid of him, to be on his side, to see him as the person he wanted to be.

He missed having a friend.

And it took Bonnie cutting him off to make him realize that he had actually had that again.

Damon is hellbent on keeping a century old promise, Lexi is gone, Klaus is toxic, Caroline is distracted and despite Elena claiming that he had her...he really only had Bonnie. And he had chased her off.

The month that Bonnie requested came and went and despite the threat hanging over his life. Nothing seemed to be happening. Alaric had yet to make a move. While Klaus along with the remainder of his family were all still walking around Mystic Falls, each shadowing one of his own. Rebekah seemed to be tasked with Matt, Klaus had unsurprisingly took Caroline, Elijah always managed to be in Elena's vicinity and Kol took Bonnie. Based on the crumbs he managed to get from Rebekah in passing, before they had been turned Kol was the only one that had fully tapped into their witch heritage. After their transition he lost his connection but despite their forced nature, he still hung onto witchcraft, he held witches to a high regard. Stefan called bull on that, going on the way he caught the Original looking at Bonnie, Stefan knew that Kol just had a type. As for Damon and himself, he supposes that either they don't see him or his brother worth watching. Or Elijah was considered to be shadowing them because of their ties to Elena. Well Damon was still following her around, lately Stefan found the thought of chasing after the doppelgänger less appealing by the second.

He thinks it's for the best. He can't be the person she wants him to be right now. And going by the way she no longer bothers to try to hide her attraction to his brother, he doesn't think that she minds all that much.

Due to his growing detachment towards the doppelgänger he has been finding his thoughts roaming elsewhere, a certain witch to be precise. After her tongue lashing after his drop in at her cheerleading practice, he was worried about her. He knew Bonnie was angry but her words were harsh even by her standards in regards to Damon. And by the next day, he knew he was in the presence of a new creature.

Granted she still looks the same but there's an air of confidence around her that wasn't there before. From the way she dresses, the way she styles her hair to...her in general. And as he comes to a stop where she mentioned she liked to do her homework in passing during the time they spent working on the coffins, he finds himself not being able to bring himself a step closer. He knows that she's not using her powers to keep him from approaching her, as much as he's at a loss on how to go about this.

As he watches her, it seems to hit him all over again that this is not his Bonnie. She doesn't hide her body under loose fitting clothes. She doesn't walk with her head down. Even as she sits down, her posture is almost regal.

The only trace of the girl he once knew is that she's currently twirling a strand of her hair around her index finger, something that she always does when she's trying to figure something out. Until a small smile graces her features and the pencil in her hand starts to scribble frantically across the lined paper placed in front of her eventually coming to a stop, a look of pure satisfaction on her face as she flips to the next page of the textbook currently open before her.

"Did you kill him?"

Stefan blinks thrown off by the sound of her voice and for a moment he wonders if he's imagined it. For her attention is still on the textbook in front of her. His stomach clenching when her voice rings out again as she looks up, her eyes easily meeting his from the spot where he's currently leaning against a tree, faintly aware of his hands sliding into the pockets of his leather jacket.

A defense mechanism.

"My father."

Bonnie always had the ability to cut him but the fact that she thinks he would do that leaves him feeling like she's sliced him in half, leaving him bleeding out. He doesn't even know her father's name much less what he looks like.

" _But that didn't stop you with Abby, now did it?"_ A judgemental little voice criticizes from the back of his mind.

"You only follow me after someone has died and I know it's not Elena," they both know Damon would have showed up blaming her for the brunette's death by now "Caroline, Matt or Tyler. I haven't heard from him in a couple of days. So is he dead?"

"I don't know." Stefan answers with his head down, frowning at the fact that he feels like that's something that he should have checked on before he came to her.

Bonnie looks at him for a full minute as if she were searching for any signs of deception and going by how she merely looks away from him afterwards he's not sure what she finds but whatever it is, she doesn't seem pleased by it. But then a thought occurs to him,

"How do you know about…" He trails off suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"I used to get that warm buzzy feeling you get when someone just whispered something in your ear that made you blush whenever you came around. And I felt that a lot when I went away after my Grams died. Then after Abby, I got that feeling except it came along with this pain...it was like…" she pauses her gaze going towards the sky as she tries to find the words "like a knife had been rammed into my back." she looks back to him seeing the hurt etched on his features "And after a while that warm buzzy feeling just stopped and that was all that was left. I've been feeling that pain a lot lately. And like I said, you only follow me when someone has died so I just assumed."

"What are you doing here Stefan?" She questions when the closest thing she gets to a response is him looking down at his hands as he wrenches them together. Something she had come to associate with when he could no longer bring himself to play the part of the moral being he clearly longed to be.

"I'm worried about you." He says taking a seat at the table she's currently occupying.

Bonnie snorts "Yeah, okay." She returns her attention back to her homework, the small part of her that felt bad for hurting him fading away.

"Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

"It's not." she admits easily, she doesn't doubt that Stefan cares about her, it's just that she knows that it's not in the way that he thinks he does "I just find the timing and circumstances around this worry to be a little odd."

"Bonnie…"

"Just because I'm not hovered over some Grimoire or off somewhere trying to pull a spell out of my ass to solve your latest crisis doesn't mean that there's something wrong with me or that there's something to be worried about. It just means that I've cut my strings. Think of it like the time that your emotions were off, minus the blood lust, it felt good right? Being free?" She adds as she leans forward locking her eyes on his.

If he didn't know any better he'd think that she was compelling him.

"Yes," he admits, he considered lying but knew that there'd be no point "but it also put everyone in danger."

"I'm not putting anyone in danger. I'm just refusing to get anyone out because they put themselves there. If you want to point the finger at anyone it should be Elena but we both know that she can do no wrong in your eyes so…" Bonnie lets her words trail off as she breaks their stare.

"Bonnie, I didn't come here to fight or to blame you for anything."

"Are you sure about that?" She looks back up at him.

"Yes,"

"Really?" She presses.

"Yes,"

"Then the next time you come to me, make sure you say hi. Maybe ask me how I'm doing, preferably with coffee. Instead of assuming that something has come over me because I'm doing what everyone else around here has no problem doing. Well with the exception of you and Damon for the most part as of late."

"And what would that be?"

"Putting myself first. Believe it or not I'm as much of a girl as Elena and Caroline are. What you do—or did—with Elena are the same things that I don't mind doing. What you had with her, hell what Caroline has with Tyler is what I want. So you'll have to excuse me for wanting to step out of their shadows for _once_ in my life. Because the compliant, self righteous, good girl with morals that could rival a Nunn's that I had become content with being just wasn't doing it for me anymore."

"I liked that girl."

Internally she rolls her eyes. Of course he did, he didn't have to work as hard as he thought he was when she was living for everyone but herself. But she finds that to be a pointless response considering they both knew that.

"Ah, so that's why you were chasing after her best friend the whole time you knew her. Makes perfect sense." She infinitesimally shakes her head, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Just because I didn't tell you that I wanted to bend you over that stupid coffin and make you scream my name doesn't mean that I wasn't interested." Stefan smirks when a vaguely familiar scent invades his senses.

"It doesn't matter, I wouldn't have believed you anyway." Bonnie replies after she finds her voice.

"It smells like you believe me."

Bonnie cracks a smile "You and Damon have this tendency to share women. I'll be honest and admit that between the two of you I thought that Damon would be the one that was better in bed based on how confident he seems to be in his 'abilities' but Katherine and Rebekah have made it clear that you come out on top." she pauses "Now while Elena hasn't opened her legs for him yet she still can't let you go and I'm sure that the gentlemen act you obviously drop at your bedroom door since you have two psychopaths singing your praises, might have something to do with it. So yes, the idea of wrapping my legs around your waist doesn't sound like the worst thing in the world but it doesn't mean that I believe you."

And there it is. The most notable difference. She does not speak like his Bonnie. This Bonnie is bold and unapologetic. Before she could be blunt but it was only when she was pushed. Now she does it all on her own.

"I think I had a crush on you. Back then." she clarifies "If you had told me that...I don't think I would have stopped you. I was in this really bad place and I wanted everyone to hurt the way I was hurting. Well not everyone...just the people that would have given a shit." she looks at him "I would have regretted it after, blamed myself for ruining your chance with Elena. But you would have gotten away with it. You could have blamed it on the Ripper. But after everything happened with Abby I wouldn't have regretted it. Just felt...shame. For throwing it at someone that was going to snap my neck to save a girl that gets off on having two brothers being willing to go to extremes to save her. Possibly even fight to the death just to have her to themselves." Bonnie rambles, seemingly unaware that she's saying everything out loud.

But Stefan sees that she was completely aware when she meets his stare, clearly waiting for him to reply.

"You're never going to forgive me, are you?"

Bonnie smirks when he doesn't take her bait but decides to answer his question nonetheless.

"Would you?"

Bonnie nods when he doesn't respond,

"Why do you even care Stefan?"

"I spent months without my humanity, forced to not feel anything about anyone or anything. After you go through that, you don't really have a choice but to feel everything. As much as I want to I can't just pretend that none of that happened."

Bonnie laughs as she shakes her head "Oh come on Stef," she sets her gaze on him and he almost smiles since she doesn't even realize what she's said "we both know that's a load of shit. Even without your humanity you still looked at Elena like she was your everything. It made me wonder if it was even off in the first place."

Stefan looks down.

"Do you want to know why I was so angry about what you and Damon did?"

He tilts his head noticing the past tense wondering if she's doing this on purpose or if it was a slip up on her part, but nods when she looks at him as if she were waiting for him to answer.

"Before this happened, I actually thought that you were the last person that would ever hurt me. I knew that Caroline and Matt wouldn't so don't think that you somehow took priority over them." she rushes to get out when he looks at her in surprise "Damon and I...we had this thing where I knew that as long as I was never an option against Elena or you, he'd chose me. Because on some twisted level he does care about me. But you…" she stops and smiles "I actually thought that we were friends. I thought that I would have _some_ reservation in your mind. I didn't think that you would be able to just disregard my life like that. I always knew that if it came down to me or Elena you would chose her but I never thought that my life meant so little to you that you could literally let a coin decide whether or not I got to live."

"Bon-"

"I'm talking." she cuts him off watching as his eyes widen, clearly taken back more than she is but she forces herself to continue "And what's even more screwed up is that you only cared about how Elena would take that. It was never how _I_ would feel or how _I'd_ react. All you cared about was that Elena wouldn't be able to look at you anymore. Damon killed Abby and Elena let him stick his tongue down her throat. I wonder what she would have let you do if you killed me."

Stefan stills as he feels a flood of rage wash over him.

"But to answer your question, I've already forgiven you. Damon too." she adds with a laugh "And no, I don't hate you or your brother. Neither of you are worth the energy or thought that hate requires. I've just decided that it's time to treat people the same way that they treat me. Treat their life the way they treat mine. So in Damon's case I'll ignore him until I need something from him. And in yours...well I guess we'll just act the way that we did before except this time I know where we stand with each other."

Bonnie watches as his shoulders slump as he looks down.

"Just tell me what I can do."

Bonnie gives him a sad smile "That's just it. I don't think that there's anything that you can do, nothing that you can say that you haven't said before."

Stefan can only sit there and stare at her, despite her voice being light and soft, not a hint of malice, her words hit him with such force that it feels like the wind has been knocked out of him.

As Bonnie watches the regret cloud his features she feels her anger fade away and his pain and regret flood her senses. But she can't bring herself to actually feel bad enough to take them back. Her pride won't let her. It was like she said before, she thought that they were friends. Yet the fact that she was taking all of her anger out on Stefan and even Elena―don't get her wrong she still feels like they deserve to hear what she has to say―while she hasn't said a word to Damon or Elijah, she feels guilt wash over her and for just a moment she allows herself to submerge in it.

Unreturned loyalty was going to be her downfall. She just knew it.

"Stefan," She calls his name gently as she reaches out and takes his hand in hers. Watching as his eyes slowly look up to meet her own "That wasn't fair of me. I shouldn't have used what you had with Elena against you like that. I'm taking everything out on you when you're already going through enough."

"Don't make excuses for me Bonnie."

Bonnie looks at him.

"Elena's life shouldn't be a valid excuse for everything."

"You don't mean that." Bonnie shakes her head looking away from him as she lets his hand go.

At that simple action he feels as if she's dismissing him and he can't help but feel as if he should do anything else. As he walks away he sees that she hasn't even spared him a glance and he can't help the disappointment he feels.

"What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" Stefan asks in response, the voice not fazing him, one glance at the source shows him that his brother was clearly expecting otherwise but quickly recovers.

"Don't play dumb. You know what."

"I hurt her. It's like she said, she expected that from you. She never expected that from me."

"And why is that?"

"We were friends."

Damon snorts "And that's what you think she was to you? A _friend_?"

"Yes Damon, we were friends." his voice takes on an annoyed tone "Why is that so hard for you to believe?"

"Because if you were really her friend, you wouldn't have even considered what we did to her as an option. Had that been Caroline you wouldn't have and neither would I."

Stefan turns to look at him.

"I was going to kill Caroline and you stopped me. _You_ like Caroline, _I_ like Liz. We would have found another way. Whether you want to admit it or not Bonnie is just as expendable to you as the Quarterback and the knockoff Hybrid are to me. Had that been Lexi you would have snapped my neck or staked me for even thinking it."

Stefan immediately stops walking and grabs Damon by the throat, tightening his grip as he lifts the raven haired vampire off of the ground "You don't get to say her name." Stefan growls in his brother's face as he slams him into a nearby wall, not noticing the crack he makes.

"See?" Damon manages to get out, watching as Stefan's visage goes back to normal.

"Despite what you, Bonnie and everyone else around here thinks, I would have never done that to Bonnie. The reason I went to her is so that wouldn't happen. I knew that _you_ would have, so I went to her. Bonnie would have never went through with the transition and if she did she wouldn't have made it. She's strong but after everything she wouldn't have been able to take that. With everything being heightened she would have accidentally turned it off and I would have lost her. So don't tell me that I don't care about Bonnie when you're the one that would have snapped her neck without giving it another thought." Stefan steps away from his brother letting him slide down the wall until he hits the ground. Stepping over his feet before walking away without another word. Leaving Damon watching after him in shock.

* * *

 **Before anyone comes for me, I know that if Bonnie went through with the transition she would have been able to make it as a vampire.**

 **And yes she is going to be a bit bitchy/OOC but only for a little while.**


	4. Chapter 4

Bonnie takes one final glance at the exterior of her home, her eyes especially fixed on the porch swing where she used to have girl talk with Elena and Caroline. If she closes her eyes she can still hear the laughter in the air from her two best friends whenever her Dad stepped outside at the most inopportune times. The ones that always ended with her being the one getting in trouble no matter if it was the blonde, the brunette or at her own fault. Her eyes go to the grass where they used to run around and play for hours on end then to the seven hanging off of the edge of her home. With a wave of her hand she fixes it and finally looks at the paper slapped onto her door. Bringing her to the reality of what she's about to do.

Things had gone to hell, Alaric finally made his move, outing each and everyone of Mystic Falls' supernaturals to the council. From the Originals to her friends and well her. She couldn't say that she was surprised but what did throw her was that according to Liz, she was number one on the council's hit list. Between beings that could tear your throat out and rip you in half before you could blink and one that had been protecting you from said beings for the last year. She thought that the choice was obvious on who you'd want to bump off but then again it wasn't like they exactly knew that part. And she didn't particularly care to explain. All she knew was that she was done. So with a suitcase containing countless Grimoires, a duffle bag filled with her clothes and basic necessities, and keys in hand she decided to leave. Not wanting to give anyone the chance to turn to her to try to reel her back in, knowing that at this point she might give in. But reminds herself that she had done more than her part. It was time to let everyone act their age instead of turning to someone that wasn't even half of it.

She jumps when her phone rings, not being able to help herself she takes it out of her pocket but when she sees that it's Damon she tosses it into the air watching as it melts leaving a sea of silver on the pavement of her driveway in its wake.

Then she slides behind the wheel of her car not wanting to give herself the chance to talk herself out of her decision. Backing out of her driveway, cutting the wheel to the right and presses her foot on the gas pedal, forcing herself to keep her eyes straight ahead instead of glancing in the rearview mirror like the little voice in the back of her mind keeps urging her to do. Letting out a sigh of relief when she finally turns off of her block and hightails it to the interstate a grin gracing her features as she passes the sign signaling the exit of Mystic Falls.

"How long do you think it'll take until they notice that we're gone?"

"I'll be generous and give them a week." Bonnie answers glancing at her passenger who lets out a small laugh before saying that that was too generous.

 **One Month Earlier…**

Bonnie is five minutes into her jog when she feels the chill that runs down her spine that she gets when she's in the presence of another supernatural. Without the slightest bit of hesitation she pulls up every ounce of her magick to the surface just in case they have plans to attack. Only to stop and sigh in annoyance when she sees Kol Mikaelson rounding the upcoming curve of the trail, a look of surprise on his face when he spots her. She wants to tell him to spare her considering that he's been her shadow for the last couple of weeks yet this is the first time he's intentionally made contact with her, whatever the reason for the change can't be good. At least she doesn't think it will be for her.

"Bonnie," He smiles when she's close enough to hear him.

"Mr. Mikaelson," She returns his smile, internally rolling her eyes when he changes his direction to run beside her.

"Please, call me Kol."

"I prefer to keep things formal when addressing someone I don't trust. Don't want them to get the wrong idea. So what do you want?"

Kol frowns thrown off by her attitude, even more by the next words that pass her lips.

"You've been shadowing me for at least a week."

"You knew that I've been following you and you haven't done anything about it?"

"I figured you approach me when you were ready. I didn't think see the point in rushing things."

"You really are just like her."

"Excuse me?"

"Ayanna, Your ancestor." he adds when he sees that she doesn't recognize the name "Elijah said that you reminded him of her, I didn't see it until now." When his brother told him such he literally waved him off. From what his siblings had told him of the latest descendant of the Bennett line, he knew that she couldn't be farther from his mother's mentor if she tried. Ayanna was never one to be pushed around by anyone and he was certain that vampires would never be the exception. If anything she was probably the one that set the whole adversary between his former and current species into motion, having been against Esther doing this to him and his siblings from the start.

"I hope that's a compliment."

"Depends, Ayanna wasn't exactly kind to us after our transition."

"Maybe she saw what your family would one day do to her descendants?" Bonnie suggests.

Kol abruptly stops jogging, chuckling when she doesn't do the same, making him fully see the similarities between the two Bennett women. Quickly catching up to her before he opens his mouth,

"I am sorry about what happened to your mother. I didn't want that to happen."

"Then why didn't you stop it?"

"I didn't know what was-"

"Don't try to sell me that crap. You could snap Damon and Stefan like a twig at the same time if you wanted to. You are supposed to be a friend to witches. They would have allowed you inside of the house, besides it happened at night. Anymore excuses you want to try or are you going to get to the point of your visit?" Bonnie questions bracing herself for the hill she's approaching.

"Nik requests your presence at the mansion."

Bonnie laughs "Aren't you supposed to be the happy homicidal maniac?"

"You've heard of me." Kol grins.

"How did Klaus get you of all people to carry out a request for him?" Bonnie questions, genuinely curious. Kol Mikaelson was the last person she ever expected to deliver an invitation to her personally at Klaus' request, she expected one of his hybrids more than anything else.

"Well considering my life is on the line just as much as his own, I didn't really need to be convinced or bribed."

"The daggers aren't in Klaus' possession anymore. I cloaked myself and took them a couple of days ago. So there's no need for you to fear to be put down if you don't do as he says." Bonnie reveals after stopping the pace she had set for herself, watching as he does the same.

"I have my reasons." Bonnie answers the question he no doubt has considering the baffled look on his face.

"Which are?" He asks, taking several steps to close the distance she created at her abrupt stop.

"I need some muscle, I would ask Elijah but I can't take his _word_ seriously anymore. Rebekah is ruled by her emotions and we're not exactly friends, I don't think she'll listen to me considering the nature of what I need help with. Klaus is…" she trails off trying to come up with a reason but comes up blank "Klaus. After that night I can't really take you being a friend to witches seriously anymore either but out of your family you seem to be my best bet as of now."

Kol stares at her feeling his curiosity of what she's about to ask him for grow with each explanation as to why she's not going to any of his siblings, nearly laughing when she explains why Elijah was out of the question. Ultimately failing when she says why Klaus wasn't even considered, but can't help but feel a twinge when she gets to him. Now he understood why her friends were all on edge, for such a tiny slip of a thing she really was fearless if she was bold enough to say such things in his presence after seeing the lengths that he and his family will go to to ensure their survival.

"Have you ever heard of the Culebras?" she asks breaking him out of his thoughts, only continuing once he nods "Have you had the pleasure of meeting Kisa?"

Kol chuckles "So it's true." he says with a smile, briefly looking away once her reasoning for not asking Rebekah to help her clicks. For someone that had little to no interaction with his sister she certainly had a grasp on her psychology, on all of his siblings once he thinks about it. "Who was ignorant enough to agree to help free her?"

Bonnie stares at him for a moment then turns to start to continue her jog but is stopped when he side steps her.

"I just meant that the Nine Lords aren't exactly the type that you want to cross," he rushes to explain after seeing the look of disgust on her face before she turned to continue her run "and considering she's under Malvado…"

Bonnie nearly laughs, having been let down with the 'villains' that have rolled into town so far. Katherine having turned out to be a crazy ex girlfriend only seeking out to destroy Stefan's love life in between wanting to escape Klaus. While Klaus just wanted to break a curse and has now been put on a leash by someone who wants nothing to do with him. Malvado just sounded like a dick that everyone feared because of his place on the Culebra's branch of their Supernatural Hierarchy.

"It doesn't matter who she's under, you and your siblings of all people should know what it's like to be under someone else's control."

"That's different." Kol rebuffs her attempt at playing on his own experience.

"Why?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow crossing her arms over chest shifting her weight on her feet as she holds the Original's stare "Because you're not forced to dance on a stage in front of men and get the pleasure of walking out of your prison addressed as your real name when your brother deems it fit?" Bonnie supplies when he doesn't answer.

"Bonnie," Kol starts after reigning in his anger at her assessment.

"You can tell _Nik_ to either come to me on his own or go to Hell. Have a nice day Mr. Mikaelson." She dismisses him, turning to continue her jog, looking over her shoulder just in time to watch him collide into the barrier she's put up to keep him from following after her.

* * *

"You have a lot of fucking nerve to come here." Bonnie says in a harsh tone once she feels a dark presence―more than one actually but she only decides to acknowledge this one since they were the only one bold enough to step foot into the place. After her jog had been interrupted earlier she decided to go home and relax for a bit before heading over to the witches' house in an effort to try to come to peace with what happened to her that night. Having remembered coming across a passage in Emily's Grimoire that said that it would always be a witch's best bet to go to the source of their turmoil instead of avoiding it, and it had surprisingly been working until it had inevitably been blown to shit upon the arrival currently hovering in the background.

She didn't know why she expected otherwise.

"I owe you an apology." Elijah says, deciding to ignore the hostile greeting that he receives from the young witch now standing before him, having raised from her position on the floor as soon as she sensed his presence. He knew that coming here of all places was a big risk on his part but he knew that she wouldn't give him the time of day if he had showed up anywhere else. After hearing from his sister about her reaction to the Salvatores showing up at her cheerleading practice and her dismissal of his younger brother earlier today, he wasn't sure that showing up at a public place would fare to much better than showing up in a more private setting. And since she's wisely put a ward around her home and has seemingly stopped going to the Salvatore Boarding House, the old witch's' house was his best bet at the moment.

"Yes, you do." Bonnie agrees "And normally I would believe you considering that you're supposed to be the noble one...or whatever. But considering the timing of this apology, I don't. Because if you were really sorry you would have came to me a long time ago. Maybe left a letter telling me how sorry you are about what happened to _my_ mother and to not think of you as the monster that you really are. The only reason you're apologizing is to save you and your family and I'm going to have to pass."

"I understand that you're upset but it would be unwise to continue to go down the road you've recently decided to take."

"And what _road_ would that be?" she looks at the elder Mikaelson "Self preservation? Realizing that none of the people that I've been so quick to go all out for aren't willing to do the same for me?"

"Defying my wishes." He corrects, feeling uneasy when he hears faint sounds of what seems to be howls, no doubt from the witches at his insolence. At the realization he takes a breath making a mental note to tone it down remembering Klaus' mentions of their attacks on him.

"You mean the wish that you wouldn't even be able to request if you and your family had gotten what you really wanted that night?" She narrows her eyes watching as he walks until he's standing directly in front of her.

"I am not proud of my actions," Elijah says sincerely "but they were necessary. You act as if what I did is something that you would not have done, had the situation been reversed."

Bonnie has to put in an extra effort to keep her features in a neutral expression, he was right. She probably would have done the same as he did that night, but that doesn't mean she has to admit it. Though going by the smug look in his eyes, she figures that she doesn't need to. Yet...

"And going by that logic, you would be doing the same thing that I'm doing right now." she smiles when the pleased look on his face fades away " _We_ " she motions between Elijah and herself "may drop our morals and go to extremes when put in situations that are necessary for the safety or survival of the people we love and care about, but the difference is your family―as twisted and ruthless as they are―wouldn't have seen what was done to me as an option. _That's_ the difference between us, you're seen as a priority, I'm not. So don't you dare act like I'm over reacting when this is the one way that I am guaranteed to not have my life on the line again." Bonnie says through clenched teeth "With the exception of the small shred of sanity that I'm barely holding onto as it is, I have nothing to lose."

"What about your father? From my understanding he's not a warlock."

Bonnie stares at him incredulously, her head spinning at how fast he changed tactics. Going from apologizing to threatening her father. Then she wonders why she's surprised when it's not the first time he's turned on her. Yet she still can't fathom his audacity or why he thought it would be a good idea to do so. Between the setting and threatening the one family member she had left she let her emotions take over before she could get a grip.

"Miss-"

A strong current of wind sending him careening through the air and straight through the wall effectively stops him from finishing his sentence. Before he can even attempt to upright himself he's sent back into the room landing on his knees at Bonnie's feet. Finding himself equally fascinated and an emotion he hasn't felt since his days as a human when he sees her eyes flash a pretty teal before going completely white as a white wind starts to encircle them both. Leaving him gasping for air he doesn't need while Bonnie remains unaffected by it.

Bonnie delights in the fear she feels coming off of him in waves. Allowing it to feed her magick which gives her the strength to go into his mind and she feels confused when she's met with a red door of all things. Not giving herself a chance to back down she pushes it and sees countless victims but only one stands out. With a simple touch to the woman's still form she removes herself from the deepest recesses of the Original's mind and opens her eyes to see him staring back up at her with a look between anger, resentment, devastation and regret.

"So that's why you have such an attachment towards Elena," Bonnie says with an amused smile on her lips "Katerina was only a facade but Elena might just be the reincarnation of the woman that lost her life at your hands. I'm going to save you some time and let you know that she's already in a bit of a love triangle at the moment. And while you are a viable option―mainly because you're a door marked exit in her eyes, leave two brothers and walk into the sunset with you, she doesn't look like a bad person, you know?―I doubt that you have a chance with her. Because while you had her pussy whipped guard dogs do the grunt work, she has managed to place the blame all on you. It doesn't make sense to me either," Bonnie shrugs "so she's a pipe dream at this point."

"But Tatia, she really was something. Does Klaus know that you killed her?" Bonnie tilts her head "Well if he didn't before he knows now." Bonnie says looking up to see the hybrid standing at the threshold, no doubt due to the ward she put on the room, then back to the vampire at her feet. After a moment of just looking at him, she slowly leans down and raises her hand to his face, holding his eyes as she says "You're on fire." Watching in morbid fascination as he collapses to the ground letting out what can only be described as howls, tears streaming down his face while he writhes on the floor in anguish and to her surprise his skin actually blisters.

When she looks back up to the hybrid immobilized in the doorway she's slightly taken back when she's not met with anger, instead with what looks like awe. To which she smiles, having the nerve to lightly pat his cheek twice sending jolts of electricity through his body as she passes him to make her exit.

Leaving the hybrid to watch after her with several conflicting emotions. He knows that he should feel rage at her gall and for her attack on his brother but paired with the information she's just revealed…

He lets that thought trail off not wanting to think about that, knowing that he needs to focus on the problem at hand. But he really doesn't know where to start, all things considered. Between his mother's newfound alliance with a poor imitation of his father, and a Bonnie Bennett he never thought would cross his path. Having grown used to the little witch whose powers were on a constant flux and knew little to nothing about her heritage or her rightful place on the Supernatural order of things going by how she's allowed everyone to treat her. But after witnessing what she's done to his brother―who is now twitching on the ground in agony having just started to recover from her attack―he knows that either she's gone off the deep end or she's come into her own.

At this point he's not sure which is worse but he knows which one he wants it to be.

* * *

"I'm surprised that she was able to find her way to my room." Bonnie says after finishing her recap of her talk with the doppelgänger as per the blonde vampire to her left's request. Who gives her a sad look in response.

"I just don't like being in the middle like this." Caroline says when Bonnie looks at her as if to ask why she's holding her tongue.

"I'm not asking you too, if you want to talk to Elena, you are more than welcome too. I don't want you to feel like I'll be mad if you talk to her. I just don't want to be around when you do." Bonnie shrugs as much as she can from her position of lying on her bed.

"I know, but still. Whenever I talk to her lately, all she asks about is you and since you don't want anything to do with her, we don't really have much to talk about other than Stefan and Damon or the whole Alaric situation."

Bonnie's only response is stuffing a handful of popcorn into her mouth before sighing "That's the problem, the only thing she talks about is Stefan and Damon and whatever crisis has came along. I don't want anything to do with them or the messes that they create for themselves so until she finds something new to talk about, we don't have anything to say to each other."

Caroline mentally concedes to her friend's point, lately everyone's life has consisted of whoever they want or already have in their bed and whatever threat that hangs over their lives. At least with the exception of Bonnie who has quite literally stepped aside and is watching the train rapidly approaching the rest of them without a care in the world except for writing her college essays along with the rest of the students that are blissfully ignorant of the dark secrets of Mystic Falls.

"Are you going to the college tour of Whitmore?" Bonnie questions bringing Caroline out of her thoughts.

"I wasn't really planning on going, but I need some semblance of normality."

"And by semblance you mean the parties on Sorority Row, right?"

Caroline looks at her friend feigning ignorance "What parties?"

 **-X-**

" _Elena's life shouldn't be an excuse for everything."_

" _You don't mean that."_

Oh but how he wished he did.

Elena had managed to simultaneously be both the best and the worst thing that had ever happened to him. Over the course of their relationship she had revived the small shred of humanity he had left in him and appeal to the even smaller shred of his brother's. Ultimately both mending and blowing their already fragile relationship to smithereens. She had made him feel alive without the high of human blood coursing through his veins and reminded him of what it was like to be human. Through having her in his life he gained a few friends and allies.

She also ripped it all away from his bare hands.

With her being in his life he had made new relationships and wrecked their lives as result of merely being within their vicinity.

If having Elena in your life brought death, having him brought destruction, carving everyone around him out until they were only faint reminders of the people they once were.

" _What's the matter Stefan? Your precious Elena is safe. Or are you realizing that she wasn't worth chasing off the one ally you had left?"_

Rebekah's taunting words ring in his ears from an encounter he had with his ex not too long after the night he and his brother had let a coin decide said ally's fate. Sending him even further into the darkest corner of his mind. He always thought that Elena knew him better than anyone else but his exes seemed to make her pale in comparison. Katherine was the one that made his emotions kick in and with one kiss and what could barely qualify as a conversation Rebekah had shut down his entire act with Klaus.

As he allows himself to drown in his thoughts he can only stare at the glass of barely touch blood in his hands. He's faintly aware of his brother entering the kitchen and when he finally looks up he can see that Damon is struggling between ignoring him and playing the good brother. Apparently he decides on the latter.

"Stefan, I know you have your issues but now is really not the time for this." Damon remarks waving his hand around Stefan "With the witch-"

"Bonnie," Stefan cuts him off "Her name is Bonnie."

"Bonnie," Damon says with a questioning look on his face "on leave. I don't have enough time to babysit you and-"

"Try a different approach to get Elena to finally admit that she has feelings for you? Sure you do." Stefan smiles wanting to get this over with as soon as possible without one of them getting their necks snapped.

Damon blinks then narrows his eyes at his brother.

"I don't need a babysitter, I need you to go away and leave me alone."

Minutes tick off the clock as the two brothers stare at the other, making it clear to Stefan that Damon isn't going to back off. Not that Stefan expected otherwise, it was his brother's nature to push. That was his problem, he didn't know when to back off. So Stefan decides to push back.

"I'm not the one that acts out every time someone hurts my feelings. I don't have this constant need to be coddled. I don't use being a vampire as an excuse for my actions. If anyone needs a babysitter it's you Damon. We might have switched roles in the past couple of months but the only reason I'm even in this position is because I saved your life. I gave up everything for someone that doesn't even appreciate it. Instead they just continue to keep a promise they made over a century ago. All because of a girl that compelled their brother to drink from her while they did so all on their own. Because it was just supposed to be them." He throws Damon's words back at him before he did a complete one eighty and started to nail in his head that he forced Damon to transition.

Damon holds Stefan's stare before smiling and downing the drink in his hand. Afterwards rising up from his seat, deciding to not take Stefan's bait, smirking at the brief flash of surprise in his brother's eyes having clearly expected him to lash out. He starts to continue to take the high road but he stops, wanting to take the low road for old times sake. The comment of them switching roles rubbing him the wrong way. He could see the reasoning behind them but there was no way in hell that he'd admit that he had taken the role of the 'good' brother, at least not when there was no good brother to start with. Only one that owned being a vampire and embraced it instead of wanting to push the nature that came along with it aside and play the role of a human that just so happened to have to drink blood to survive.

Stefan watches as Damon gets up from his seat and start to make his way out of the kitchen and he relaxes before seeing Damon stop at the doorway, hearing the glass in his hand crack he braces himself for his attack and dodges the glass that is suddenly thrown in his direction. Jumping up from his seat, smiling at the shock evident on Damon's face and before he can recover Stefan speeds up to his brother and twists his arm until it snaps throwing him into the living room. Breaking a leg off of the chair he was sitting in, ramming it into Damon's stomach to pin him to the wall.

"You're supposed to be the good brother, remember?" Stefan reminds him pushing the stake deeper angling it so it grazes his heart "Or are you only the good brother when Elena is around?" He taunts watching the rage that appears in Damon's eyes. After hearing a car pulling to a stop he takes a step back and speeds away leaving Damon alone. Standing just out of sight as he watches Elena walk inside, a gasp falling from her lips as she runs over to his brother and he can't help but roll his eyes and turn on his heel going straight to his room. He had better things to do than get a repeat of them comforting each other. The memory of the last time fresh in his mind from when his switch was flipped.

 **-X-**

Bonnie is just about to put her things in her bag when she senses another presence and looks up to see Stefan walking towards her and she can't help but roll her eyes, watching in confusion when he sets a cup down in front of her before taking the seat directly across from her as he did the last time he was here. Taking a sip from his own as he stares at her.

"Hello, how are you?"

Bonnie can't help but smile and looks away from him when she sees a look of satisfaction flash across his features "What is this?"

"We're having coffee." He states matter of factly.

Bonnie stares at him for a moment, inwardly kicking herself for her attempt at being a smart ass. Then reaches out for the cup and pops the lid off, inspecting the contents. Tentatively dipping her index finger into the hot liquid whispering a quick spell before replacing the lid on the cup and takes a sip.

"You think I'd poison you?"

"What do you want, Stefan?" Bonnie asks as if she hadn't heard his question watching as his face falls.

"I know that whatever I try to say, you won't believe me, and I don't expect you too. There's no excuse for what I did. I should have never gone that far, but I never meant to hurt you, you have to know that."

Bonnie lets out a laugh, not believing her ears. Even when they weren't together they were in sync. Laughing even harder when Stefan looks at her as if he were questioning her sanity.

"You know, I'm getting really tired of people telling me what I have to know. Both of you keep saying that like it means something. It doesn't matter what you meant or what you didn't want to happen, it matters what you did. Being a friend to someone isn't a complicated task. The fact that you act like it is just shows me that I was never that to you in the first place. Stop telling me how sorry you are and show me."

"I tried that, you sent me to my knees."

Bonnie scoffs "If I didn't want to hear from Elena, what makes you think that I would want to see you when we're not even half as close to as I was with her?"

"I'm not here to talk about Elena," Stefan says tiredly, knowing that they would get nowhere if they did.

Bonnie blinks,

"Every time she's brought up, we end up arguing. I don't want to argue with you. You said that you had forgiven me and that you were just going to treat people how they treat you, that we'd act the way that we used to except that this time you know where you stand with me. I'm not going to say that you're wrong because you wouldn't believe me so let's just move past it and try to start over."

"The fucking nerve." Bonnie mutters under her breath as she continues to put her things into her bag "Stefan name one time that we talked that had nothing to do with Elena, my magick or whatever crap Elena had gotten herself into that week."

"We talked when we started working on the coffins. And then there was that time we went out for drinks in D.C. because you wanted a break that ended up with you trying to climb a monument and me compelling police officers and breaking several cameras and phones."

"One day," Stefan says when Bonnie stares at him before looking down in an attempt to hide the hint of red coloring her cheeks, clearly remembering that night "Let's just have one day and if you don't want to talk to me again then…" he waves his hand "but one day. We never did go to restock your supplies and I didn't get a chance to take you to the place I told you about in Richmond. So one day." He repeats not being able to find anything else to say that wouldn't spiral into an argument.

Bonnie presses her lips together, everything in her screaming to say no. Knowing that he was just trying to assuage his guilt but also feels as if, if she didn't agree it would do nothing but serve as counterproductive to her letting all of her anger towards him and pretty much everyone else go. Even though she knows that she's completely justified in doing just that. She knows better than anyone that hate and resentment are tiring and pointless emotions and at the end they only end up affecting you. Unless the person was a constant in your life, they wouldn't know the difference and even if they did they probably wouldn't lose sleep over what you are doing to yourself.

And besides one day wouldn't change her stance on where she stood in the grand scheme of their current crisis. It was going to take more than a day to make her go back on her promise to her Grams, but she couldn't pass up an opportunity to make him sweat.

"Why now?" She questions instead of giving him an answer to his request.

Stefan's eyebrows knit together, not understanding her question.

"The other day you said you were worried about me. Why now? Why weren't you worried about me on the night that Damon killed Abby?"

"You want the honest answer or the one that's just going to send us back to square one?"

"Who said we ever left it?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**I have not abandoned this story, just finished a rewatch of TVD up until mid season four to see how much of tvd's cannon that I wanted to play around with. This chapter is short (and a bit jumpy) and picks up from where the last one left off but I'll make up for it in the next if you decide to stick around for it. I hope you enjoy.**

 **Also I have no plans on this being a Bonnie/Stefan/Damon love triangle, but I do enjoy Bamon so if they bleed into the story, my bad.**

* * *

"It was never going to be you."

"Well that was obvious." Bonnie says not bothering to hide her annoyance and slight bitterness in her voice.

"I meant that night, between you and Abby."

Bonnie stares at him for a moment and he shifts under her gaze "I can take a lot of things Stefan, but lying to my face is not one of them."

"There has to be a part of you that believes me, otherwise why would you still be here?"

"Wanting to believe you and actually believing you are two very different things. Think of it like you and Damon. Deep down there's a part of you that knows that what you're holding on to is dead but the part of you that feels loyal to him has you on a leash. And you think you're responsible for what he's become, and to an extent you are. That's what it's like for me with Elena, and even though we'll never be the same again, I know that when she finally manages to force herself back into my life" she looks down, a bitter smile pulling at her lips "where she goes you follow. And even if that weren't the case Caroline considers you a friend so we're stuck with each other. I've accepted that. As for why I'm here…" she pauses trying to gather her thoughts "It's a part of my healing. Just like you. Except for me the destruction of whatever relationship we had with each other isn't a weight on my conscious or a stain on my moral compass, it's just something that would make it hard for me to trust anyone else. And it wouldn't be fair to whoever I allow to be a part of my life when I finally put this town in my rear view mirror."

Stefan blinks when the latter of her rant settles in, opening his mouth in what he knows is a pointless effort to keep her from doing so but she doesn't give him the chance as she leans forward, raising her hand to reach over the table that separates them placing her fingers on the bottom of his chin lightly pushing upwards and he feels his lips press together on their own volition.

"Pick me up from my house at seven." she starts as she removes her fingers from his face, fighting back a smile when she sees him lean forward slightly as if he were trying to keep her fingers in place "We'll go to that bar a couple of minutes out of town and if it goes well then we'll go from there."

And she says it with such a sense of finality as she rises from her seat, slinging her bag over her shoulder that he can only sit there and nod. Not that she even notices since she hasn't even looked at him since she collected her belongings and is already walking in the direction of her car without as much as a parting glance or a noncommittal wave.

* * *

Green eyes stare back at her in her reflection making her shift on her feet, averting her gaze not being able to take their scrutiny any longer. She always hated when Damon called her Judgey but after seemingly being on the receiving end—as much as she hated to admit it—she felt that it was deserved. Brushing the thoughts away she turns back to the mirror admiring her work. Letting her eyes trail from her dark purple lip to the cat eye that she managed to get right on the first try to the black mesh bodysuit, black jeans and black ankle boots. It was the most dolled up she's been since her outing with Richie and at the thought of the culebra she closes her eyes searching for the call she used to feel only stopping when she's only met with her own conflicting emotions. Initially she had thought that Elena had recruited yet another member to her harem but when he called later on that night to tell her about the vision of her lying on a metal slab before abruptly sitting up willing air into her lungs, she immediately got to work on unlinking herself from the brunette.

Elena may have been a good life insurance policy but by no means did Bonnie want to give whatever resulted in her transition extend to her as well. And as much as Bonnie hated feeling this way, she figured maybe Elena becoming a vampire wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The brunette would be able to fend for herself. Her blood would be of no use to Klaus. Going by how many times she's eluded dying, maybe this was the only way she could live, you could only cheat death so many times. Even with that being said she did feel as if she should say something. But she wanted one more night before she gave the brunette the chance to attempt to suck her back into the fray.

The sound of her doorbell ringing jolts her from her thoughts and one quick glance to her alarm clock shows seven o'clock and she can't help but smile and roll her eyes. Turning to grab her bag from its place on her bed double checking for her phone, keys, wallet, compact and lipstick as she makes her way downstairs.

Stefan blinks once then twice when the door swings open revealing Bonnie on the other side who smirks at his reaction as she steps past the threshold turning her back to him giving him a full view of her backside as she locks her door.

"So are you going to stare at my ass all night or are we going to go to the bar?" Bonnie questions as she turns to glance at him over her shoulder watching as his eyes trail up until he's meeting her gaze, looking away in embarrassment at being caught "And here I thought you were the good brother."

"There is no good brother." Stefan waves her comment off, ignoring the teasing glint in her eyes at him opening the car door for her as he says so.

"You try." Bonnie replies holding his stare as she climbs into the passenger seat until he looks away closing the door once she's situated.

"Remember what I said about excuses?" He looks at her as he starts the car.

 **...**

"It tastes like Mr. Lockwood's cologne."

Stefan raises an eyebrow as he eyes the witch at her comparison of the gin he talked her into trying.

"It's a long and stupid story." Bonnie mumbles attempting to wave it off.

She was starting to think that this was a bad idea.

It was annoying how he could always slip under her skin. She shouldn't feel anything for his kind other than blatant disgust and hatred and yet he's the reason why her defense against them is so weak in the first place. Admittedly she's ashamed that it's not Caroline but she likes to think that it's because he was technically the first vampire that she met and the first that she knew that actually wanted to be better, tried to fight against their nature.

"I have nothing but time."

"Not exactly true but I guess I'm drunk enough to forget that I even told you this and hopefully you'll let me continue to believe that."

Stefan smiles and nods his agreement.

"Care had just started dating her first boyfriend, Scott, and they were going to go to D.C. but her mom said she could only go if her friends were there too. So she begged me and Elena to come but my dad said no as soon as he heard boyfriend. Elena didn't like Scott and this was back when Matt's crush on her had gotten really obvious so she said she wouldn't go unless I came. I said that I'd just tell my dad that I was staying at my Grams' house. When in reality I had just went to Ty and asked if he would tell Matt that he would go and it would be a group date; Caroline and Scott, Matt and Elena and then Tyler would be with me. Needless to say that Matt and Elena were pissed and didn't talk to us for like a week but we didn't really care because Caroline would be with Scott and they'd have no one to talk to but each other anyway unless they had other friends—which they didn't—so…" she trails off with a shrug "But anyway that night my dad got called into his job so I went to hang out with Ty. His parents were borderline alcoholics—his words not mine—and they had creative places where they stashed their drinks. One of his dad's places was this bottle of cologne. But Ty couldn't remember which one it was and they all smelled like shit so we just sipped until we found it. Like I said...stupid." Bonnie says with a shrug as she raises the glass to her lips grimacing and shaking her head as the liquid slides down her throat.

"You and Tyler?"

Bonnie's eyes go from the now empty shot glass to Stefan. Eyeing him strangely, wondering why that was that was what seemed to concern him the most or at least felt the need to question, but decides to answer nonetheless. Chalking it up to surprise that she and Tyler actually knew that the other existed based on their little to no interaction since he and his brother breezed into town. "Yeah, our dads were in the same circle and we were dragged to events, paraded around like little trophies. So we became friends."

"I never thought that you and Tyler…"

"Knew that each other existed?" She offers when it becomes clear that he isn't going to say anything else.

"Yeah,"

"We use to be really close." she starts her voice sounding as if she were mourning "I could talk to him about anything, and when I didn't want to talk I could just go to him and he'd understand. We'd just sit and not say a word and it was never awkward. When his house got to loud or his dad went into a bad headspace he'd show up at my house and we'd go to the falls. But then puberty came out of nowhere and girls started looking at him and he noticed that they were looking...he became a slut."

"Ouch," Stefan smiles.

"Nothing I haven't said to his face." Bonnie says with a lift of her shoulders.

"You think it was the supernatural thing?"

Bonnie tilts her head mulling it over "Maybe, but it's not like it matters now."

"And why is that?"

"I'm not drunk enough for that conversation." Bonnie deflects with a half hearted smile turning away when Stefan eyes widen.

"Do you think it would've lasted?" She swiftly changes the topic.

Stefan's eyebrows knit together.

"You and Elena." she elaborates "If Katherine never came back, Damon wasn't Damon, Klaus wasn't borderline obsessed with you."

He smiles but then sobers "Yes, but those things did happen, so it doesn't matter."

"Yeah it does." Bonnie states "If it didn't we wouldn't be here." She points out reaching over the bar for the bottle of tequila taking it upon herself to refill their glasses when she spots the bartender flirting with a guy at the other end. Instructing Stefan to drink before he can get a response out.

"Tequila is the only drink in this whole bar that doesn't send you into depression. We can continue to talk about our misfortunes and shitty love lives or we can let this" she waves the bottle in her hand "take over and maybe not end up fighting. Which is it going to be?" She questions as she raises her glass looking at him expectantly.

Stefan stares at her for a moment then picks up the glass as well and clinks it against her own before they both knock it back. Taken back when she only blinks and licks her lips before starting to refill their glasses once again.

…

Stefan looks up at Bonnie from his place kneeled in front of her propped up on the counter of her bathroom sink. Fighting back the urge to smile at the annoyed look on her face, arms folded while she makes a point of looking anywhere but at him. Though makes an exception as soon as she feels the sting of hydrogen peroxide meet the cut just below her knee.

She watches as he gently cleans her wound, placing a bandaid over it afterwards then glances up at her, smirking when she abruptly looks away, a hint of red tinting her cheeks.

"I have a question," she starts hesitantly, only continuing when he nods "how were you a medic when you…" She trails off.

"I did it to save lives, I thought that maybe if I saved a few that it would make up for the ones that I took."

"So it wasn't some twisted way of punishing yourself?"

"No, people tend to be everywhere. So there's not really a place where temptation isn't around me. If anything it helped me to keep from giving in."

Bonnie frowns but before she can ask for an explanation he beats her to it with a question of his own, albeit silently, only looking at her ankle then back up to her.

"It means fire, a modern Bennett tradition is to get the element that you first manipulated where you felt it stem from." she says "It's also what my Grams used to call me, so it's a little homage to her as well."

Stefan looks down at the reveal. He doesn't think his part in Sheila's death would ever—or should—fail to serve making him feel as if he should take the brunt of whatever Bonnie decides to dish out to him at the mere mention of her grandmother. It could never be loss on him that with the death of Sheila took a bit of Bonnie's livelihood with her as well.

"You don't have to apologize," Bonnie says as soon as he looks up to meet her gaze "it wasn't to make you feel bad or to make you feel as if you had to. Hopefully the only thing you will ever have to apologize to me for is if you ever tell anyone about tonight." She stares him down, grinning when he nods in agreement, amusement clear in his eyes despite the straight face he's managing to keep.

"So aside from the broken-"

"I will set you on fire if you finish that sentence."

"No one told you to-"

"Stefan," She warns.

"Have I earned my day?"

"If it includes replacing my heels, yes." Bonnie answers, rolling her eyes when he cracks a grin.

 **-X-**

She's making her way towards her car hiking her dufflebag higher on her shoulder when she sees Elena sitting by herself on the ledge, legs crossed and she stares at the brunette for a moment waiting for her to move or do something. Letting out a deep breath before she starts to walk until she's beside the brunette. Taking it upon herself to hike herself up on the ledge directly next to her and waits until she breaks the silence.

"When did we get like this?" Elena asks in a quiet voice as she stares at nothing in particular when it becomes clear that Caroline is waiting for her to let her know whether she wants someone to talk to or someone to just be there. And it makes her feel even worse knowing that Caroline feels as if she needs to fill in the role that Bonnie usually had.

"Like what?" Caroline questions with a frown not understanding the brunette's sudden query.

"Strangers," Elena states as if it were obvious what she was talking about, and the fact that she thought that it was clear as day leaves her breathless for a moment because there once was a point that she didn't need to explain her sudden statement. In between abrupt changes in their conversations, quick glances would suffice, and she has to fight the urge to chuckle at the fact that the one person that she knew that that would never change with is not even speaking to her at the moment. "We've known each other since we could walk and yet…" she trails off feeling that ache again "I never thought that it would ever be like this."

"Do you want my honest answer or the one that will make you feel better?" Caroline asks.

If it weren't for the unmistakable scent of vanilla shampoo, Elena would think that Caroline had her own doppelgänger walking around. When had the blonde grown a filter? "I want the one that you wouldn't hesitate to give me before it got like this."

Caroline stares at her friend for a moment then nods "You chose Stefan and Damon over us."

Elena blinks then frowns and shakes her head as her lips part to deny the blonde's accusation but she doesn't give her the chance to.

"I want you to name one time that you chose any of us over them and actually stood by it instead of letting them back in after believing that it would never come down to you having to do it again."

Caroline waits, watching as Elena looks down and knows that it's not in shame but that she's genuinely trying to search her mind for a time that she did so and she has to press her lips together and will herself to not show any outward reaction. Looking away from Elena when it becomes clear that the doppelgänger really hadn't noticed the rift the Salvatores had caused until this moment. She would have laughed if she didn't catch the scent of saline in the air and shifted her gaze back to Elena to see a tear drop down to stain the fabric of her jean covered thigh.

"I know that you never meant to. That you didn't see this coming but the truth is, I think that we all knew that we had officially lost you the moment you stopped seeing Damon as a monster after he killed Jeremy. Bonnie held on a little longer but after her finding out that you knew about everything that happened that night and still let Denver and the decade dance happen...it killed her. Jeremy and Bonnie, they always came first for you so maybe after what happened with Abby. Seeing that you didn't stop whatever you were doing with them to go and be there for her...even if she didn't let you, because that never stopped you before. You're stubborn as hell when it comes to people that you care about so maybe that was what really made it clear that no one really had a chance against them. So yes, we are all aware that it's not the same, and maybe it's because we're not the same people we were before. Just because you've known someone since before you can even remember doesn't mean that it's a sure thing. People change. But you and Bon…"

Elena looks up through tear stained vision, waiting for her to continue.

"That's on you. She never made you choose but I think you already had and maybe she knew and just never wanted to hear you say it."

Elena flinches at her words but after a moment nods in understanding.

"She told me that as long as I have a Salvatore on each arm things will never be okay between us."

Caroline laughs at that, even more so when Elena looks at her hurt clear on her face "After everything I just said and you coming to the conclusion that choosing one will make everything go back to normal…" she shakes her head knowing that it's pointless to try to explain "With one comes the other. Between Stefan's loyalty to Damon and Damon wanting whatever Stefan has. You can never have just one. You're not stupid, you have to know that by now. It's like I said, she never made you choose but it's clear that you already have."

 **-X-**

Bonnie is stirring the contents of her drink after taking a tentative sip to see if it was prepped to her satisfaction when she hears a rush of air and looks up to see Damon taking it upon himself to sit down at the table she's claimed for herself. She stares at him, waiting and when minutes go by and he has yet to say a word she looks away going back to her previous activity only stopping when he finally puts an end to their silence.

"Where is she?"

Bonnie tilts her head to the side, eyebrows furrowed.

" _Elena_ ," he says as if he were explaining something to a stubborn child "where is she?"

Bonnie blinks but then rolls her eyes "Damon, I don't have time for whatever game you're playing right now."

"I haven't seen her in three days, she's not answering her phone, Blondie won't say a word, Stefan insists that he doesn't know where she is, Jeremy has somehow become immune to compulsion and I can't go into her house." He looks at her pointedly, frowning when she only looks confused at his rambling.

He abruptly rises from his seat when it becomes clear that she isn't going to bite but sighs and reluctantly retakes his seat knowing that that behaviour wouldn't get him what he wanted.

"Why did you save me?" If she wouldn't give him anything about Elena maybe she would at least give him this.

"What?"

"You called and told them that Rebekah was torturing me to death," he says holding her stare "why?"

She stares at him trying to gather her thoughts "Apparently death isn't the end for us. We get a chance to find peace afterwards, I didn't and I still do not feel as if you deserve that. So your life will not end at my hands unless you push your luck. Plus, if you died then that would have given Elena a way out. Despite how tedious and drawn out this whole love triangle thing is, I'm curious to see how it will play out. Not to mention that this is all happening while there is a clock running on your life." she shrugs lifting her mug to her lips sighing in satisfaction as the hot liquid slides down her throat warming her insides, licking her lips afterwards "Do you mind? I'm kind of waiting for someone."

Damon narrows his eyes but before he can even ask they make their presence known and he can't help but gawk up at them.

"Close your mouth, you're letting flies in." They scold staring down at Damon who has seemingly gone immobile in his shock.

"He is a toad, so it's nothing new for him." A new arrival quips with a smile as they sidle up to the table taking the seat beside Bonnie "Well?" Katherine Pierce waves her hand motioning for Bonnie to speak while Kisa claims the seat next to Damon a smile of her own playing at her lips at the look on the elder Salvatore's face.

"I would say that I'm surprised that you two know each other but a coven for vampires under the guise of a strip club in Mexico sounds like just the place for you." Bonnie states looking at Damon before turning to the vampires that she actually planned on meeting here to get started.


	6. Chapter 6

He had liked to think that he officially came to a point where little to nothing could surprise him.

Yet here he was, standing immobilized in shock at the sight before him.

Maybe he shouldn't be all that surprised considering that it was once again due to the pint sized witch that constantly pulled it off time and time again. From faking her death to having him on the verge of his own, successfully unlinking his siblings just in the nick of time to saving the elder Salvatore's life after he ended her own mother's. After the latter he was fully convinced that she had finally reached the end of her bag.

But this…

This was definitely something that he had never expected, never even crossed his mind.

"Niklaus?" Elijah Mikaelson calls his brother after turning to see that he was no longer by his side and a frown settles across his features when he sees that the hybrid is standing a few feet behind him, lips parted, blue eyes fixed on something out of his line of sight. Curiosity peaked he walks until he can see what has clearly caught Klaus off guard and is left just as stunned as his younger brother is.

"Is that…" The now eldest of the Mikaelson siblings trails off and it effectively snaps Klaus out of his stupor. The revelation that his brother had stepped foot into a club throwing him off for the second time in less than a span of a minute. This one considerably more but leaves a grin on his face as opposed to complete and utter astonishment. He had come to believe that doppelgängers were the only women that had a thing for brothers but apparently it had extended to brunettes of all kinds if the look in his brother's eyes were anything to go by.

"I specifically remember you saying that those establishments are demeaning and that Kol and I should be ashamed of ourselves for even considering stepping foot into those poor excuses of entertainment."

Elijah turns to Klaus ignoring the smirk on his lips "I was presented an offer that was too good to pass up. Kisa was just-"

"Kisa," Klaus repeats through a chuckle and turns on his heel, leaving Elijah to stop his attempt at an explanation and starts to follow the hybrid's lead. Yet is mindful to leave a respectful amount of space between Bonnie and himself not wanting a repeat of their last encounter.

"Bonnie," Klaus greets the young witch with a smile despite the way she seems determined to ignore him even as he speaks to her directly "have you had time to consider my offer?"

Kisa watches with raised eyebrows as Bonnie rolls her eyes, the only outward reaction the witch shows to the hybrid's sudden appearance. Afterwards taking a drink from her cup, her green eyes briefly going to Damon over the rim in warning before going back to herself. She glances to the vampire seated beside Bonnie, her brown eyes lingering on the charm dangling from the silver chain around her friend's neck then to Damon. Both of which looking just as surprised as she feels. Deciding to test out her own new accessory she subtly extends her hand out into the sunlight, a smile slowly creeping across her face when her skin doesn't start to burn. Instead feeling something similar to warmth before it quickly fades, turning into faint a whisper across her skin. Despite the ache she feels in her chest at the absence she supposes that it's better than being minutes away from going up in flames leaving nothing but a pile of ash in where she once stood.

Katherine stills when she turns to see Klaus staring right back at her. Willing herself to stay at her place beside Bonnie instead of acting on the natural instinct of putting as much distance between the hybrid and herself as possible before he picks up on her presence. Only daring to move when he looks away from her dismissively, his gaze going back to Bonnie. Who for her part is making a point of looking at Kisa. She wonders what happened to the latest addition of the Bennett line, for the girl beside her is reminding her more of the witch she was first introduced to rather than what she had heard became reduced to. If it weren't for the fact that she wasn't being dragged away by her hair kicking and screaming by the hybrid that she's been running from for centuries, she'd think that she was in the presence of Lucy or Emily.

"Richie said something about following the flesh?" Bonnie questions managing to carry out her decision to ignore Klaus, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of gaining her attention.

"The Twister has taken a…" she trails off trying to find a word for the current state of her former prison, easily following the witch's lead being as though Klaus was the least of her worries having never found him to be particularly intimidating in the first place "decline in my absence, so they're looking for a new gatherer."

"So you're going to use an innocent girl as bait?" Bonnie frowns.

"Bait? Yes," she answers "but I'm not going to go through with delivering her to him. I want revenge, not a repeat of history."

"Can you guarantee that nothing will happen to her? Both under your watch and not?"

"No, but it's not as if I have any other-"

"Then we're not doing that." Bonnie interrupts her "I have a friend in New Orleans that has an army of sorts. He'll lend me bodies and I'll work on a spell that makes them appear to be human."

"Fine," Kisa agrees after a brief staredown, knowing that by the look in Bonnie's eyes that she doesn't have a chance in changing her mind.

"As far as Malvado, we're not going to kill him."

Kisa narrows her eyes, anger flaring up at the witch thinking that that part of her plan was even up for debate " _That_ is not your choice to make."

Bonnie represses the urge to roll her eyes and calmly leans back in her chair, understanding where the brunette's anger was coming from but knows how underwhelming the death of an enemy feels first hand. And despite being able to tell her this on her own, she knows that the culebra wouldn't just take her word for it, especially considering their age difference in account. "Raise your hand if killing someone you hate has actually made you feel like you won for more than two minutes." Her eyes go to each vampire before returning to woman before her, watching as a frown settles on the brunette's features, seeming annoyed when she takes a glance at the other vampires present that haven't moved an inch.

"Now raise your hand if you thought out a plan, waited and or drawn out your revenge and watched them lose their minds." Bonnie raises her hand, raising an eyebrow at Kisa once she looks around to see that everyone has raised their hand with the exception of herself. But blinks when she sees that they all suddenly have their attention on Bonnie, clearly just as surprised and interested as she is at the reveal.

"I didn't tell you this because I didn't find it necessary but I recently found myself in indentured servitude by a girl that was once my best friend and her love interests, but I cut my ties and am now using her as a life insurance policy because the men present" she motions towards Damon, Klaus and Elijah "either have a thing for her or find her to be useful to them in the long run or big picture. And with the exception of you and your friend," she tilts her head in the direction of Katherine to keep up the charade "everyone here is depending on _me_ to save their lives. And I'm not finding it very appealing. They've done nothing for me but bring me pain and suffering. One of which I'm finding it pure gold because he saved someone that―albeitly not on purpose―put a clock on his life. He would have killed me to save her and she basically signed his death certificate. It's karma at its finest. I couldn't have wrote or planned this shit better if I tried. And do you want to know what has happened since this revelation?"

"I have gotten nothing but half assed sarcastic apologies, poorly veiled threats and demands, and pathetic attempts at intimidation. Oh, wait, I also got an 'invitation' delivered by the vampire that is supposedly a friend to witches as requested by the "Big Bad Original Hybrid"." she says mockingly "So until they start groveling at my feet, catering to my every wish and carrying out any demand I come up with, I will continue to treat them as if their lives mean nothing to me. I've even gotten familiar with a few of their enemies. So not only do they have to worry about their mother and her newest creation but a few other enemies they've made throughout their lives. And I will continue to do so until I get what I want. But in that same breath I'm also blocking their locations until they push their luck again like threatening my father. Or insisting on requesting my presence at their homes. Or basically telling me that I'm not going to get an apology because I knew what would happen if I was ever put in a situation of who would live and who would die." she names the things that each have done to get her point across "I mean how stupid can you be? But then again I did allow them to get to a point where they thought that that shit would fly so…" She trails off with a shrug, fully aware of her part in their previous treatment towards her.

"Sorry, off topic. But as you said it is not my choice. You are the one that was made a prisoner for centuries. Whatever happened, happened to you. So this is your choice, whatever you decide, I'll help. So what is it going to be? Kill him and still be pissed for the rest of your immortal life? _Or_ make him suffer from your place in the shadows by taking everything he treasures, everything that he has worked for and spent his entire life building, and burning it to the ground. Have him begging you to take his life by the time you're done?"

Kisa shifts in her seat, equally impressed and unsettled by the girl across from her "I want him to suffer."

"Good choice," Bonnie says with a nod as she pushes back her chair "I'll call my friend. And when I start to get what I want we'll get started on how we'll handle Malvado. I'll leave you to get further acquainted...or _re-_ acquainted with your new henchmen. I know from first hand experience that they know a thing or two about torment. And maybe they'll enjoy having someone new to belittle and harrass since I'm no longer available." She states making a point of looking at Damon then to Klaus.

"I'm not going." She states after a moment of staring at the hybrid.

"I expected as much."

"Oh?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow.

"Which is why I enlisted the assistance of an old friend of mine to track down your's."

"My phone isn't blowing up so it must not be anyone of importance." She remarks dryly.

Klaus smirks and fixes his hearing on her heartbeat, counting down the minutes as it starts to increase and realization flashes in her eyes as a soft "Oh," falls from her lips before her gaze goes to the dark haired vampire whose response is stopped before it could begin by one look from the latest of his mother's mentor's line.

"My mother must have lost her touch." He fills the silence that has fallen upon them, sparing a brief glance to the elder Salvatore who is looking as if he is about to burst as his wild blue eyes are fixed on Bonnie.

"Your mother has been siphoning power from my bloodline for over a millennium. And contrary to popular belief she didn't even create vampires all on her own. She took a template from the first known Bennett witch, adding speed and strength and called it her creation gone wrong. Not really much of a touch to begin with if you ask me but that could just be the bitter part of me speaking. The Original Witch," she mocks Esther's title "if it weren't for her I would've destroyed you before you broke your curse and none of this would even be happening. It's almost as if this is all just a poorly scripted teen drama that loves to pick and choose when I can have the power that my line is so notorious for and let others take the credit if it plays out in the lead's favor."

Klaus watches as her eyes flit from his own in the direction of his brother who he can see shift on his feet under her stare in the corner of his eye. Watching as her lips quirk upwards clearly amused at his reaction and he would have scoffed at his brother's behaviour if he hadn't seen what caused Elijah's apprehension of the little witch standing before him first hand.

"If you seriously have Alaric in your possession, you need to call whoever you have standing guard and make sure that they're still alive. Despite what I said about your mother, she is determined to right her wrong just as much as my ancestor was to right hers. And going by her Grimoire she actually succeeded. If you caught Alaric, it wasn't because you managed to be a step ahead. One thousand years on this earth, you should know that unless you're going up against an unexperienced witch that up until recently only rose up to the occasion with the right incentive. Vampires―no matter how old or how sadistic―don't stand a chance against an experienced witch on a warpath unless you manage to slip between her defenses. And the one that could have done so is dead. Call your friend." Bonnie advises as she stares up at him before turning to pick up her bag and walk around him, disappearing into the crowd of people walking with purpose up and down the rows of shops lining the block.

"I suppose you have your answer now." Elijah remarks, watching intently as Klaus rounds on him then is gone in the next breath.

 **-X-**

She finds herself back at the boarding house, draped across one of the chairs littering the living room. The charm roughly the size of a dime in between her index finger and her thumb as she stares at the ceiling. Wondering what her life had become reduced to, to be in this situation. Yet on the plus side of things she could walk around wherever she pleased, no longer having to look over her shoulder, or live out of a suitcase. She could have a stable home if that was what she desired. But to what cost was where her concern lied. Bennetts were notoriously judgey powerful little things that were loyal to a fault. Though never without a reason. She had no reason to gain Bonnie's and the little witch made it no secret that she didn't care for her to much. Yet before she could doubt her little gift, it was proven to be the real deal not a moment later. But the way that Elijah's eyes lingered on her after his brother's abrupt departure left her breathless at the possibility of the curiosity in his stare.

"Katerina,"

Katherine casually turns to the intruder of her thoughts, still surprised at the fact that they could see her true face despite having been sure she could trust them waiting for the reason behind requesting her attention.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Kisa questions knowing her friend's history with the men that Bonnie took it upon herself to recruit to help her. Though it could have only been a power play on the witch's part but she wouldn't know for sure until Bonnie reached out to her again.

Katherine shifts her brown eyes to the man lounging on one of the arm chairs across from her, still reeling from the fact that he of all people could see through the charm's projection. Of all people she would have never thought that he could even be thought to be trusted. Especially considering what she's done to him and for how much he claimed to hate her.

"The only one I'm endorsing is Bonnie. Damon is useful until he isn't." She replies ignoring his grumbled reply as he takes a drink from the tumbler of bourbon in his hand.

"You seemed nervous when she handed out gifts." Kisa points out.

"I don't have the best history with Bonnie, with anyone really."

"Then why ask her at all?"

"She reached out to me for a favor. I agreed to help, this is her repaying her debt to me in advance."

"What did she ask?" Damon questions, the revelation throwing him off.

"As always, you're asking the wrong questions and worried about the wrong things. Besides, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." Katherine smiles.

"Try me,"

"Why don't you wonder why a seventeen year old witch is willingly teaming up with the snake queen and a psychotic bitch with the face of her best friend instead?" Katherine leans up and swings her legs until she's sitting upright with her legs crossed as she stares at Damon "Or did it finally click that you're the reason you lost your favorite self help book and just want to get her to go back to her place on my knockoff's shelf waiting patiently for the next time you need her?"

"Oh please," Damon nearly snorts "Let's not pretend that you give a damn about Bonnie."

"I'll stop when you do."

 **-X-**

When she imagined or spared a thought to what his requested day would be like, it was safe to say that this was never even close to the realm of possibilities or even charted on the list of potential places that they would end up going.

"I never took you for the religious type." Bonnie says taking in the sight of a church from the passenger seat of Stefan's car.

As she says the words it hits her that with the exception of funerals, she hasn't stepped foot into or anywhere near a church since her Grandmother's death. And after all that she's done since she wonders if she could make it past the door without being sent up in flames. Though considering her company and how he drove with ease to her current location she figures that if he could survive then maybe she could as well. Unlike him she didn't have a body count.

Though not from lack of trying.

"I actually was raised as a Catholic, but that's not exactly why we're here." He reveals before getting out of the car.

"Then why are we?" Bonnie asks as she climbs out of his car once he opens the door for her to do so.

"A healing process I learned from an old girlfriend." He answers as they walk up the steps, opening the door to the church waiting for her to walk inside, turning around to see Bonnie staring back at him strangely.

"You dated a witch?"

"I did," He confirms with a nod turning around to prop the door open, walking inside without another word knowing that she'll follow despite her clear reluctance due to her curiosity getting the better of her. It always did.

"What happened?" She questions quickening up her pace to match his stride as he walks with purpose.

"She wanted someone that could give her what she knew I couldn't."

A frown settles on her face as she tries to connect the dots from his cryptic answer already knowing that that's the most she's going to get from him from his demeanor and determination to not look at her. Feeling her breath catch in her throat and lips pressing together as her face starts to warm when it clicks. Immediately averting her eyes from him when he finally turns to look at her, a smile slowly gracing his features at her reaction to her conclusion.

"She had a flare for working around things when she really wanted to. Including transferring our essences a few times. She was curious as to why vampires would go for witches despite knowing what could possibly happen. So she made a ring to repress her powers and one to suppress my basic instinct, switched our natures and wear them before we…" he smiles when Bonnie once again looks away from him "She got the appeal. If she wanted to have the white house with a picket fence, two kids and a dog with me, she would have made it happen."

"Then what was it?" Bonnie inquires.

"My heart," he answers simply "She knew I was capable of it. Knew that I loved her. But told me that it would never compare to what I was to have long after her time."

"Sounds like more of a seer, than a witch." Bonnie observes at his answer, her head tilting when she realizes that she's not going to get a name by his constant use of pronouns.

"A rare gift to a witch but it was a signature of her bloodline."

"Did she give you any information about the girl?"

"She only told me that it would happen twice in their same lifetime and that I would need to abandon the obsession that came with the love I give if I wanted to keep her."

Bonnie chuckles and turns her attention towards the countless candles on either side of the podium placed front and center beyond the first row of pews.

"I never thought of your love as an obsession, as more as that they would be all you saw. As it should be and only a handful are lucky enough and would ever know what it's like to be so sure in their relationship. But now that it's out in the open and considering all that's happened." Bonnie pauses "I just can't see how there could even be another girl in this lifetime or any other that come after this one for you."

"You think that this is the one that she was talking about."

"Don't you?" Bonnie raises an eyebrow, nearly sighing when she sees that the idea is truly lost on him "Compulsion from a vampire that has a few centuries under their belt is impossible to fight. Compulsion from an Original…" she trails off turning to meet his stare "You managed to fight off Klaus, who has a millennium, an Original, and a Hybrid to his name. And considering that you're a ripper, you should have tore out Elena's throat and ripped her to shreds until there was nothing left of her. Yet you fought it and he had to take your humanity away from you, and even then you managed to feed from her without taking her life. Not to mention saving her and were only capable of throwing out a few harsh words. Leaving you to feel like crap when you got your humanity back. It might be up for debate if your love for her is on the verge of obsession, but you keeping her safe and sound and happy even if its without you by her side surely isn't."

He can only stand there and watch in stunned silence as she turns away from him and walks up the alter picking up one of the courtesy matches and lighting it, taking a deep breath before she slowly lights the wick of four candles. Afterwards carefully extending the match for him to take, making it clear that she is waiting for him to do the same. Seeing from the corner of his eye that she is watching with interest as he lights five of his own. After lighting the last he looks at each one before blowing out the match and watches along with the witch beside him in silence as they burn down until they leave nothing but a puddle of wax in their wake.

"Did you light one for yourself?" He questions as they take the last step.

Bonnie turns to him, surprise clear on her face.

"You looked reluctant on the last two. Which means one of two things; it hasn't happened yet or you're hesitant to let them go."

"So I take it, it gets easier with time?"

"On a good day." He answers after a moment.

 **-X-**

She watches from a distance as Stefan holds the door to Bonnie's car open, watching intently as she slides behind the wheel to her blue prius with raised eyebrows.

"Looks like another vampire has stepped in your absence." Rebekah Mikaelson comments her eyes still on her ex as he smiles at something the witch has said as she addresses her older brother's sudden appearance.

"We both knew shadowing them wasn't going to get us anywhere with them."

"And that's where you went wrong, we weren't shadowing them to get closer to them, it was to get information on them."

"So is that why the ungulate has been following you around like a lost puppy?"

"I never said we couldn't have a little fun in between time. It's not my fault you couldn't suppress your want for a challenge."

Kol looks at her making it clear he isn't amused.

"Bonnie is a young witch with no formal training. You have years of knowledge and not once did you offer to share what you know. You chose to stalk from afar and then show your face on Nik's request."

"She said she took the daggers." Kol reveals to change the topic, tired of his sister's criticism of his approach.

Rebekah stills and turns to him.

"The ones in Nik's possession are fakes, the only reason he doesn't know is because I compelled the hybrids he sent to watch over me. She's also become quite close with an old friend of your's and Katerina."

"An old friend of mine?"

"Our trip to Mexico in the seventeen hundreds?"

Rebekah smiles remembering the surprise on her brother's face when his would have been meal turned and attempted to rip his throat out but then frowns.

"Turns out we're not the only ones Kisa tried to recruit for her jailbreak."

"She got out?"

"With the help of Katerina who somehow convinced Bonnie to help her take Malvado down."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Kisa allowed her to stay when she needed safe haven in exchange for her help.

"How do you know this?"

"Looks like you underestimated the perks of watching from a distance."

"But you said that she knew that you were following her."

"That's what worries me."

 **-X-**

 _The smell of freshly dug dirt permeates the air as she makes her way through the graveyard until she spots a decent sized crowd and quickly ducks behind a tree, deciding to watch from a distance instead of joining in._

 _There's a shift and she finds herself standing directly before a headstone. Only making out two "E's", one in the first, the other in the last name etched into the marble above the inscription that is hazy through her blurred vision as tears stream down her face. In her peripheral she sees Matt at her side._

" _I don't know why you're crying," a voice hisses in her ear sending a wave of guilt flood her at their harsh words "it's your fault."_

She shoots up in her bed, willing air to fill her lungs, her heartbeat resounding in her ears as her hand comes to a rest over her sheet covered chest.


	7. Chapter 7

She's ashamed of how long she had to scroll through her recents until she came across the name she's searching for and when she finds it it dates back to June.

Four months.

Long before Bonnie's requested break and to top it all off the little sign next to her best friend's name signals that Bonnie was the one to reach out to her. A humorless laugh with just a hint of bitterness escapes her and she notices that her grip has tightened around the device as if it were its fault. Taking a deep breath she quickly taps the name before she loses her nerve.

She doesn't realize she's holding her breath until the ringing stops and her lungs take it into their own hands to do the simple task of breathing on their own. Eyebrows knitting together when a male voice greets her from the other end instead of Bonnie's familiar warm tone. It takes her minute, little dots taking their sweet time to connect and one quick glance at the clock on her nightstand reads four a.m. It never once crossed her mind that that should have been the first thing that she checked since the days of calling each other no matter the hour have long stopped. And yet a small part of her finds it equally amusing and hurtful that her friend has apparently reached a stage in her new relationship where this was perfectly acceptable behavior for the male on the other end still waiting for her to respond.

"Hello?" the low voice laced with sleep calls out again snapping Elena out of her thoughts and her face starts to warm at the implication of what Bonnie was previously up to.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Can you just tell her that I called?"

There's a long pause, as she's left feeling as if she's on the verge of hysterics once his response finally sinks in.

"You're looking for some chick named Bonnie, right? I guess you didn't get her new one either. There was a guy that called about an hour ago, apologized for not deleting this one." he pauses "I think his name was Matt? Maybe he could help you." He offers in an attempt to be of some assistance to her completely unaware of the knife he's twisting.

"Yeah," Elena breathes, lips twitching at the corner knowing that no matter what hold her old relationship may have on her ex, he would never dare to take it upon himself to step in if this was Bonnie's decision and not just a slip up on her part "maybe."

"Look, I'm sorry-"

"Please don't," Elena interrupts him, taking the phone away from her ear and tosses it to the side not wanting to hear another apology. Rationally speaking she knows that it's not his fault and that he's only trying to help her but after talks with her friends it became all too apparent to her that apologies were intertwined in pretty much every conversation she had these days. Even when she was in the wrong, and they were only speaking their minds they never failed to sneak one in.

She's just about to crawl under her covers when it hits her that she's making things about herself and stops, eyes shifting to her dresser where the keys to her car reside and glides over to them. Palming them she walks out of her room ignoring the voice reminding her of her inevitable track record of being caught no matter what precautions she attempts to take. The only thing having worked so far was her deal brokered with Elijah in the promise of laying low in exchange for his promise of keeping his siblings away from her friends if they all managed to make it out alive. She knows that he would have a fit and possibly break their agreement of her staying clear of it all but she couldn't help her pesky habit of trying to help despite her track record of only managing to make things worse even with the best intentions.

But this was Bonnie.

No matter what, no one knew Bonnie better than she did. If anyone were able to get through to her best friend or right her wrong doings to Bonnie it was her as it should be.

 **-X-**

Rebekah Mikaelson descends the stairs of her brother's home annoyed as ever. Wondering why she had agreed to this in the first place but the urgency in his voice as he asked her to go visit his current prisoner left her feeling as if she really didn't have all that much in a choice to begin with. There wasn't much that could get the hybrid so worked up so here she was, curiosity of what was so important coming out on top.

She's taking the bottom step when the sight of a dismembered arm catches her full attention and she carefully walks into the cellar to see something that sends her back to the early nineteen hundreds. When her father came and made her family flee the one place she had been able to call home since her days as a girl in Mystic Falls. Willing the memory to return to deepest parts of her mind she eyes the gruesome scene before her with indifference until she spots a familiar face in the form of an old friend looking just as the same Rebekah remembered her save the lack of the rise and fall of her chest.

Flashes of their time spent together in the twenties, from helping the other pick out their dresses for the evening to dancing without a care in the world, reveling in the disapproving eyes from those bearing witness to their blatant disregard of society's rules at the time. Between her friend's frequent displays of her powers and her older brother's word essentially being law, they were assured in the simple fact that despite whatever feelings of those present were on the matter no one would dare say a word to them.

A smile graces her face as the memory of the havoc they had wreaked the first night they had crossed paths resurfaces to the forefront of her mind. She remembers being under the false impression that the woman was yet another witch that her brother had corrupted only to quickly find out that that couldn't have been farther from the case. It was a rare find to come across a witch fallen from grace and Florence was the embodiment of it. One dip into the dark arts with the intention of saving her family and that was that.

She had never been one to mourn deaths of mortals―envy was the only emotion that cared to make an appearance for such occasion. But staring at the now lifeless body left an ache in her chest she hadn't felt since the death of her mother in the days that she didn't know any better. It was so strange to see someone with such livelihood to be lying disturbingly still on the floor. Even worse for one she considered a friend despite her being in her brother's bed. She wonders if this is how Klaus would feel if Stefan were to fall to this fate.

Pushing her thoughts to the side, she walks over to where the slain witch lies with the intent to take her elsewhere, not wanting to leave her among the nameless casualties her family's' latest enemy left in his escape. Blue eyes widening when those haunting grey eyes stare back up into her own as their light slowly fades and a puff of black smoke passes the witch's lips leaving that same sinful smile she gained upon meeting her as the last remaining life leaves her eyes.

She's just about to lean down to close Florence's eyes when she hears a strong rush of wind and abandons the task in favor of slowly turning to face the new arrival waiting until they're done taking in what she can only describe as a massacre.

"Why not go after Bonnie?" Rebekah questions, deciding to take the opportunity to ask the question that's been on her mind since becoming aware of the girl's existence. Why her brother's fixation was on the baby vampire―a far cry from her brother's usual conquest―still puzzled her since the Bennett witch was up for the taking. It wasn't as if Klaus was above going after someone as young and vulnerable as Bonnie was. If anything it was out of character for him to not do so. So Rebekah couldn't help but wonder why Bonnie seemed to be the exception, especially considering the circumstances.

Klaus looks away from the body at both his and his sister's feet, doing a quick take at her hands to see if Rebekah had done a mercy kill going by the awkward angle of his former lover's neck as she lies on the floor despite her blood being smeared all over the walls of the cold cellar.

"There has to be some reason, and you certainly can't say that she's not your type." Rebekah continues, opting to ignore his implied accusation having caught his quick glance at her hands.

"I don't see how this is relevant to the situation at hand." Klaus attempts to dodge her question.

Rebekah rolls her eyes "She may not have been close to our mother's latest creation but she wouldn't have gotten this." she motions to the witch at her feet "Plus, we wouldn't have even had to worry about Mother if Bonnie was the one you were shopping for designer dresses and gifting jewelry from royals. She was perfect. They would have never even noticed what you were doing until it was too late, the things you could have done! The knowledge you have of not only her craft but about her and her lineage. You could have used that to lure her in on its own. All of the Grimoires in your possession...she would have done anything for them. I'm not sure what has gotten into you and Kol but-"

"Enough!" Klaus rages in her face putting an end to her rant, breath ragged, eyes flashing black and gold, only backing down when he sees that she hasn't so much as flinched. Merely stares at him arms folded over her chest, perpetual pout on her lips. And he takes a step away from her, eyes averting her own when he finds that his need for space between them is not in shame or regret from his outburst as he usually found whenever he lashed out his sister but apprehension of her lack of fear. He wasn't sure what was going on, but as of late he found that his siblings weren't nearly as mindful of the unvoiced threat he posed as they used to be. Before they would have their little outbursts, the occasional act of rebellion or spite but they would always recoil and step down when what he could―and would―do to them if they didn't fall back into line seemingly returned to their minds. But now they were bolder than ever, openly defying him and found looks in their eyes that taunted him with secrets that he would never know.

"Still hung up on Xienna, are we Brother?" Rebekah brings him out of his musings with a teasing smile and he feels a flare of relief run through him at her mistake of thinking that his continued silence, and distance from Bonnie is a byproduct of his secret dalliance with Ayanna's third born. But the relief is fleeting as he feels rage start to seize him at the words that follow shortly after. "I'll take things over from here. Leave you to clean up your…" she breaks their stare to let her eyes travel their surroundings, making a point of lingering on the bodies of his slain hybrids currently scattered throughout the room " _mess_."

He watches as she turns away from him and carefully takes Florence's body in her arms, leaving him alone in the cellar. There's a part of him that wants to stop her but he thinks that she might be on the verge of something. Between the extracurriculars that his sister has managed to infiltrate, shared classes she apparently has with the Bennett witch and the mutual acquaintance that he was still trying to wrap his head around, he thinks that she might be able to actually pull it off. Once he hears her leave his home completely he does another survey of the room, eyes lingering on the now broken chains that last held his temporary host before he was good and ready to show his face. He walks over to the broken metal with the intent to pick them up but quickly drops them, hissing at the singe it leaves on the tips of his fingers, watching until his skin returns to its original hue and wonders how Alaric escaped them.

Waving the thoughts away he turns to leave but stops when he sees that a brick is slightly out of place along the adjacent wall and feels a bout of panic wash over him. Speeding over to the spot, he tentatively removes the brick and tosses it aside carelessly, reaching inside the space it leaves, feeling dread rising with each moment that passes as his hands come up empty at each attempt to grasp at the box containing his fail safe at controlling his siblings that should be in his hands by now. What remained of calm lost as he nearly rips the wall apart.

He wants to put the blame on one of his siblings finding them but he knows that they would never be as careless to leave anything out of place or want him to know that his failsafe had been reduced to a threat that could no longer be carried through. Which meant that like the little witch had cautioned, his capture of his mother's little creation wasn't on his own wit. He wants to wave it off as nothing since they could only be used on his brothers and sister but once again Bonnie's words rung true. If his mother wanted to make one against him she now had the perfect template in her possession.

 **-X-**

She watches cheer practice from her place just out of view from her old social circle. It was times like this where she truly missed her old life. The days when her biggest worry was breaking out before a dance. Yearned for the days when she was begging her parents for a extra boost in her allowance so she could go shopping for a new dress or making her case on why they should extend her curfew for the latest party just so she could maintain her place at the top of the social pyramid. The times that she and Bonnie would share looks whenever Caroline stopped mid routine to call someone out from a simple hesitation in their step to someone breathing too loud for the blonde's liking.

So when she sees Bonnie stop along with the rest of the girls on their blonde friend's command due to Caroline spotting Tiki bending her knee on the way down from her high kick she feels her heart drop when her best friend shifts her green eyes to meet Rebekah's waiting stare. The two breaking out into grins as Caroline throws her fit. She takes a step backwards as her hand goes to her cheek. Jumping when she feels something wet the side of her hand.

Caroline she could see, knew that that the vampire wouldn't hesitate at the chance to take her place. And at least with Caroline she knew that the blonde genuinely loved and cared about Bonnie. But Rebekah was something entirely different. From the Original's past with Stefan, her fling with Damon, budding interest in Matt and outright rivalry with Caroline. Elena had thought that they would have sufficed but apparently the blonde Original wasn't quite finished with trying to insert herself into her friend's lives.

"Katerina?"

Elena nearly jumps out of her skin at the voice but the name called registers, leaving her uneasy at what might happen to her since only a few knew her double by her birth name. Taking a slow breath to ease her rising concern of her wellbeing she slowly turns to face them. Unsure of how to feel at what she's greeted to. At face value they didn't seem to be anything to fear at all. But if she's learned anything in the past year it was that the real monsters weren't the ugly revolting creatures depicted in the movies. The woman standing before her was beautiful in a way that threw her off. From her flawless olive complexion, long brown wavy hair to her dark brown eyes that seemed just as interested in her as Elena felt towards her. Her beauty was the type that was able to make even the most self assured feel insecure, and in such an intimidating way despite the youthful tint. But the more she stared at her, Elena could tell that there was something off about her. Not wanting to show how unnerved the woman made her, Elena attempts to mimic the way she's holding herself.

"No, I'm-"

"The other one," she cuts Elena off staring at her in what seems to be amazement, her voice breathless "Richard said you looked exactly like her but this is…"

Elena swallows and takes a step back when the woman trails off and only stares at her.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Despite everything that's going on I know that Bonnie wouldn't be to happy if I did."

Elena nearly rolls her eyes at the attempt at her assurance of her safety. Especially with the revelation she discovered earlier this morning. But the use of her best friend's name throws her off and all apprehension of the women flees taking self preservation right along with it as Elena finds herself taking a step towards the woman.

"How do you know Bonnie?"

Kisa smiles at the quick change of the doppelgänger's demeanor going from timid to appearing as if she were seconds away from ripping her head off. If weren't for the heartbeat increasing with every second that she doesn't answer her, she'd think that it was her friend the entire time. She stares at the girl for a moment trying to find something other than the straight hair and frankly boring fashion sense to help differentiate her from Katherine on sight to not make the mistake again. Ultimately settling on the doe eyes, then turns to walk around the doppelgänger "It was nice meeting you, Elena."

Elena blinks, taken back by the fact that she knows her name but frowns when the dismissal fully registers and starts to walk after her ready to attempt to get some answers but stops dead in her tracks, swiftly returning to her hiding place when she spots Rebekah starting to turn to their direction. Watching from behind the bleachers as the blonde's blue eyes narrow at the woman boldly making her way towards the group of girls currently gathering their belongings to go off in their separate ways before a bright smile breaks across the Original's face. While Bonnie watches the mystery woman and the blonde greet each other with a raised eyebrow. Their mutual joy at each other's presence seeming to throw her off as well before she turns and walks over to Caroline. Elena finds herself only being able to watch as her two best friends―and someone who she didn't even think capable to have one―walk towards the parking lot side by side either oblivious or uncaring to her presence.

Despite the emotion she doesn't want to put a name to at the sight of Bonnie walking arm and arm with Caroline as she speaks to Rebekah who playfully rolls her eyes turning to yet another person that has managed to slip into the space her absence in Bonnie's life has left. She can't help but wonder what on earth could be going on to cause them to all be together at once.

 **-X-**

"Go on, say it." Bonnie says as she glances over her shoulder before merging into the other lane to make the turn at the light.

Caroline waits until she sees the car behind them gets cut off and miss the light before opening her mouth to speak.

"It's just that I don't understand why you're letting her in. I mean you can't honestly believe that she's willing to turn on her brother."

Bonnie twists her lips seeming to think her words over "If there's one thing that I've learned with the Mikaelsons it's that no matter their issues when it comes down to actually turning on the other they won't." she pauses "With the exception of someone that they're sharing a bed with or want to."

Caroline scrunches her nose then turns to look at Bonnie so fast that the witch is surprised that she didn't snap her own neck at the action.

"Bonnie you can't-"

"Use her infatuation for Stefan and Matt to sway her to our side? Of course not, I would never and besides they wouldn't go through with it anyway." she mutters "But there is someone that she would and actually did go against Klaus before."

Caroline looks at her expectantly though Bonnie can see the wariness in the blonde's eyes, clearly afraid that she actually has gone off of the deep end.

"I can't tell you. _Yet_ ," Bonnie quickly adds not wanting Caroline to jump to conclusions "Just know that he actually cares about her. I just have to wait until the right time before I include him."

"And what if that time never comes?"

"After this, you won't have to even doubt it." Bonnie states watching as Rebekah's car pulls into the spot directly beside her. Looking over to Caroline when she sees Damon's camaro pull into the space in front of them, watching intently to see if Caroline recognizes the person in the passenger seat. An eyebrow raising when the vampire goes from annoyed to confused then braces herself when she hears a loud gasp before her head turns back to her. She gives the blonde a look that makes Caroline press her lips together and nods before she turns to get out of the car.

Caroline takes a breath willing herself to not show any outward reaction. Making a point of keeping her gaze away from Katherine. She holds her breath, eyeing Rebekah from the corner of her eye waiting for the blonde's reaction, only to feel confused when the Original frowns at the vampire as she opens her mouth and Caroline feels her eyes bulge.

"Who's this?" Rebekah questions looking Katherine up and down, turning to Damon when he doesn't answer.

"Who I am is not important." Katherine steps in, suppressing her urge to roll her eyes settling for a smirk when Rebekah snaps her gaze back to her, eyes narrowed "What is important is your part in all of this. I have a friend in New Orleans who you might want to reach out to. He's instrumental in how this can play out and we need a familiar face to sway him to our side."

Rebekah blinks staring at the vampire then turns away to look at Bonnie who nods her head.

Katherine waits until Rebekah finally turns back to her before pulling an envelope from the inside of her jacket, holding it out for the blonde to take. Not backing down from the Original's stare until she drops her blue eyes to her hand and takes what she offers, posed to open it but stops when Katherine says so.

"Not now, I hear that the snake queen doesn't take to kindly to being abandoned."

"Then you should also know that she has a name and doesn't take to kindly to being addressed as anything otherwise." Kisa nearly snarls.

Uninterested in the potential catfight and not caring about the warning she rips the envelope open and reads the information it provides and without a word she speeds off. The only indication that she was ever there being her keys that drop to the concrete beneath her.

"That's a good thing," Caroline breaks the silence that has fallen upon them in the blonde's abrupt exit "right?"

"For us at least." Katherine replies bending over to retrieve the keys at Kisa's feet "Thanks for not blowing my cover Care Bear. Looks like I owe you an apology, you're not completely useless in this after all." Smirking at the blonde when she looks affronted.

"Do you really think that's the best idea?" Damon frowns at the vampire strutting towards the Original's car.

"For someone that hates me you sure do seem to come off as anything but. Or has Sweet Little Elena completely shadowed that? Speaking of Elena, how is she? I haven't seen much of her since her secret meeting with Elijah."

"What?"

Katherine turns away from Damon to look back and forth from Caroline and Bonnie seeing that it was as much news to them as it was to Damon to which she frowns wondering when her doppelgänger stopped being the center of everyone's world.

"She made a promise to Elijah to stay clear of everything in exchange for his promise to not kill you if we all make it out of this alive."

Bonnie turns to Damon just as he turns to her.

"I already handed in my resignation letter, it's your problem now."

Caroline shoots him a "Don't look a me." look when he shifts his gaze to her. Readily following Bonnie's lead, getting into the witch's car. Making a point of looking at her phone to avoid her sire's penetrating gaze as Bonnie drives off leaving the vampire standing alone as both Kisa and Katherine have followed suit and are driving off in the opposite direction.

"Bonnie," Caroline starts as soon as they're a good distance from their meeting point.

"I know,"

* * *

Bonnie strips of her clothing as soon as she steps into her room, clothes going in the hamper beside the door leading to her ensuite. Setting her shower playlist on shuffle, she smiles to herself when Lauryn Hill fills the room. Singing along with the musical pioneer with such ease that someone would think that she was right in the room as the artist penned the lyrics that she relates to on a spiritual level.

She's so wrapped in the song that she's only standing under the stream of water as she does her best to match the notes. Only reaching for her body wash when the song ends and her phone is out of reach to hit replay, but nonetheless enjoys the next song that comes after. Absentmindedly singing along as she scrubs at her skin as if she's trying to wash the day's events away. Biting at her lip when the possibilities of what could happen in New Orleans if she doesn't at least attempt to reach out fill her mind. She wants to be assured in the reasoning that Rebekah wouldn't be able to make it there anytime soon, that she has more than enough time to worry at a later time but knows that when it comes to the Originals they could make even the most unlikely happen.

Cutting her shower short, she steps out into the steam encompassed room, worry practically seeping from her pores, wrapping the waiting towel around her body and waltzes over to her phone. Feeling relief wash over her when she sees a message from Katherine assuring her that she's already handling it. Afterwards frowning at the fact that she's come to a point where she actually feels as if she can take the doppelgänger's word and actually trust it. If someone had told her that this would be the case a year ago she would have laughed in their face and dubbed them mental but now that she's actually here she doesn't really know how she feels other than baffled at it all.

Fifteen minutes later she's crawling underneath her covers and turning off the lights.

And surprisingly enough sleep actually comes easy for her.

 **...**

 _The smell of freshly dug dirt permeates the air as she makes her way through the graveyard until she spots a decent sized crowd and quickly ducks behind a tree, deciding to watch from a distance instead of joining in._

 _There's a shift and she finds herself standing directly across from a headstone. Only making out two "E's", one in the first, the other in the last name etched into the marble above the inscription that is hazy through her blurred vision as tears stream down her face. In her peripheral she sees Matt at her side._

" _I don't know why you're crying," a voice hisses in her ear and for the first time she can put a name to it which replaces the guilt and sends rage rushing through her veins "it's your fault."_

She shoots upright in her bed, willing air to fill her lungs, her heartbeat resounding in her ears as her hand comes to a rest over her sheet covered chest. Takes a deep breath in an attempt to return her heartbeat from its frantic pace to a steady rhythm and get a grip on her nerves before her magick gets a chance to take a life of its own.

"Bon," a sleep laced voice calls her name and she turns to see a familiar figure yet she can't put a face to through her panic slowly sitting up as their eyes are trained on her. Wordlessly moving and pulling her close as they lay back, her body easily following their lead "Same dream?" They guess and she feels herself nod her head as she rests into their hold.

"Same dream," She hears her voice confirm as she buries her head into the crook of their neck.

Emerald eyes pop open and dart around the room, her hand automatically reaching out only to be met with the cool fabric of her sheets and she closes her eyes.

This was the second time that she's had the same dream but the second portion was a new development. Try as she might she can't place where she knows the voice and by the time she's on the verge of placing it the dream slips right out of her grasp. Her mind going back to the first half and she lets out a deep sigh knowing that all she needed was for it to happen one more time and it was set in stone. Between the dream itself and Richie's vision she has a pretty good guess on whose grave it is and while she knows that despite her initial death they all get a chance to say their goodbyes and prepare themselves for a life without her.

She's tempted to just let it all play out the way that it was becoming all to clear that it was always meant to. Elena cheated death to many times, causing others to take her place but she knew that if she withheld what she knew any longer she would go her whole life blaming herself and not being able to deny anyone that felt Elena's blood was on her hands. Reaching out for the pillow to her left she grabs it and places it over her face, screaming as loud as she can in an attempt to release all of her frustration. Afterwards climbing out of her bed and summons Emily's grimoire from its place on her shelf and calmly walks across her room and sits in front of her window directly under the light of the full moon flipping through the pages until she finds the spell and with a simple wave of her hand she lights every candle in her room and starts to chant.

 **-X-**

Marcel Gerard stands on the balcony overlooking the courtyard as the fight for the new daylight ring rages on. Watching with interest as fairly newcomer Tara Thornton wipes the floor with what he previously considered to be the best of his men. A smile creeping across his face when she turns to look at him after snapping the neck of an ex mma fighter down on his luck that he turned a decade ago.

"You have a call,"

"Tell them I'm not available." Marcel attempts to wave them off, intent on watching the show she's seemingly putting on just for him but Diego ignores the dismissal in his tone.

Marcel only raises his glass to take a drink his eyes still on the fight below him but the glass makes a halt just before his lips that curve into a smile at the name Diego says. Understanding the vampire's persistence despite him making it clear that he wasn't in the mood for anything other than the brawl raging on below him.

"It's Bonnie Bennett," Exchanging a look to the only man―aside himself―that Marcel seems to truly trust that is just as amused as he feels at the change in the older vampire's attitude. Handing over the phone and taking his sire's place to watch the fight that has slimmed down to only two vampires.

Tara Thornton and Carlos Madrigal. The two currently circling the other before Tara lunges at the latter that only smirks, effortlessly fending her off sending her flying into the wall, rendering her unconscious at the impact. Apparently not one for taking things at face value he walks over to the woman and unceremoniously snaps her neck. Afterwards turning to look towards the balcony, a smug look on his face and opens his mouth to say something but the first word doesn't even get to pass his lips. The forming of a frown on the man's face as his neck turns at an awkward angle, his body dropping to the ground revealing a new arrival. A pretty blonde with an indifferent look on her face as she stares at the culebra's lifeless body at her feet.

"Where is he?" The woman questions―demands really―only shifting her gaze to where Diego stands when she's yet to receive an answer. Blue eyes narrowed and promising death if he doesn't give what she wants and he has to make himself stay in his current position instead of backing away like the little voice is insisting on it being in his best interest if he's to keep honoring his loyalty to his sire.

Marcel stills at the voice that he'd recognize anywhere. He starts to write it off as a brief lapse in his sanity but a familiar scent takes over his senses and demands his full undivided attention. His body moves with a mind of its own, walking until he's beside Diego phone still pressed to his ear despite having lost his attention since he sensed _her_.

"She needs all issues to be resolved before going into a partnership." Katherine states with her signature pull, managing to sound both flirty and intimidating "United front, you understand." Is the last thing he hears quickly followed by the sound signaling the end of a call. Normally he would be annoyed at such insolence but this was practically the thing he dreamed of since meeting the young witch even if this were her conditions delivered by someone else. The next thing he knows he's struggling for air he doesn't need, razor sharp nails digging into his neck, back pressed against the cold metal of the railing staring back into a pair of painfully familiar blue eyes lost in red. His appearance having clearly not caused the same effect as her's to his.


	8. Chapter 8

He wakes up when he feels a jolt to the back of his skull and voices dripping with disgust as they speak in a language that he hasn't heard since his days spent with arguably the most powerful witch he's been in the presence of assault his ears.

"Nik wake up." A familiar voice hisses above the others bickering amongst themselves. His eyes pop open and he immediately rises to his feet. Blue eyes scanning the room for the source only to be met with darkness. Save the dim light that the moon offers through the small window towards the ceiling, allowing him to make out four bodies littering the floor. He listens for a heartbeat but is greeted to nothing and only relaxes when he manages to make out the faces. Going by those in attendance he knows that one of them—more than likely Damon—is the reason behind their current state and waits impatiently for him to wake so he can provide some background on the situation. So he can at least be somewhat prepared for what's to come. He's just about to take matters into his own hands when he hears low groans and watches as they all start to wake one by one. Scoffing at his brothers as they only wake seconds before the Salvatores.

But when he sees that upon regaining full awareness that they are all eyeing each other suspiciously. An unspoken accusation in each pair of eyes it becomes clear to him as well as the others that they all had nothing to do with their current situation. Which brings him back to square one.

He opens his mouth just as every other occupant does in what is no doubt to be an argument to which leads to blows and snapping of necks at the very least if they're lucky and manage to make it out alive but he feels his mouth close on its own. Panic seizes his very being and going by the wide eyes of everyone he knows that the same has been done to them as well.

Candles flare to life illuminating the room as a familiar figure emerges from their place in a dark corner of the room answering the question that is on all of their minds. But is quickly replaced with wondering how she managed to get into all of their minds and summon them all and still be up and completely aware.

"Glad you all could make it." Bonnie Bennett says calmly, ignoring the glares mixed with slight confusion she's receiving in response as she walks until she's in the center of the room so all five vampires are in her line of sight.

"I thought we all grew past the time of doubting and questioning my abilities." She states with a slight frown as she eyes each and everyone of them "I would be insulted but I did allow myself to be bossed around by Damon Salvatore of all people so…" She trails off with a deprecating smile and casual lift of her shoulders.

"Well I assume that you haven't gathered us all to accept your invitation." Klaus states when she doesn't say anything, charming smile back in place as he tries to hide how relieved he is at his regaining of his control over his own body. He imagines that this is what compulsion is like and while he could say that it's enough to make him use it as only a last resort, it'd be a lie.

"If you're wondering why you're here," Bonnie starts as if he hasn't said anything at all "it's because I thought that it would be fitting considering that this is where everything happened that led to the mess you're all in now. I'll agree to do one thing that you _all_ come to an agreement on, _if_ you do something for me."

Klaus raises an eyebrow when he notices that she's making a point of looking at them one by one. Making it clear that while they have to come to a collective decision that it will not apply to her. Upon the realization, he exchanges a brief glance with each of his brothers―both of which nod their agreement―before looking to Stefan who nods in acknowledgment when he meets his waiting gaze after looking at his own brother before they return their attention to Bonnie. A smirk gracing his lips when he notices that they were the only two to acknowledge anyone that they didn't share the same last name with.

"I have been having this recurring dream where I'm standing in a graveyard in front of a headstone where I see an E in both the first name and the last name." she starts once they all return their attention to her "Which means that it could be one of the following; Caroline, Jeremy, Elena, Stefan, Rebekah or myself. I wouldn't go anywhere near Elijah's or Esther's so I knew that it wasn't either of them. In the first I saw Matt staring at the headstone with tears in his eyes so that rules out Stefan, he killed his sister so he wouldn't go to the funeral much less his grave. And in the second I got Damon blaming me for their death so that rules out Jeremy, Caroline, Rebekah and myself. And while it could be argued that if it's Caroline's he'd be there for emotional support for Elena, I would never let that happen. After everything that he did to her the only way he's going anywhere near her service or grave is over my dead body. If Elena needs a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold then Jeremy, Matt and hell even Stefan are fully capable of that. So that only leaves one person, and I'm sure that you all are aware that if witches have dreams that happen more than once then it's going to happen. It's already happened two times, all I need is one more and it's set."

She looks around watching as they each take in the revelation. The only one completely unfazed being Kol, to which she sets her gaze on him watching as he falls to the ground. Afterwards turning to Klaus and Elijah, who to her surprise only exchange a glance but otherwise make no move to retaliate or protest to what she's done but decides to explain her reasoning regardless.

"Apparently he doesn't care too much for her so he's not needed, thus no use for me and won't remember any of this by the time he wakes up. And if either of you speak of this you'll share the same fate and the deal is off the table. Understood?" she looks back and forth between the two, only continuing when they nod their agreement "Good,"

"Why are you telling us this, Bonnie?" Klaus questions her motives since it's clear that no one else will.

"You all want to keep her alive and because of that I know that I can use this in my favor." she turns to Klaus "I mean, I know that you only want to use her to make your little army, but still. So we're going to come to an agreement for your end. Elena will donate three blood bags over the period of three weeks a month until she starts her freshman year of college in exchange for your protection. And as for me; you're going to put me in contact with a witch."

Klaus smirks at her bargain "And why would I do that?"

"Esther is trying to get to her first. Break that pesky little bond you tricked her into, make it all on your end in exchange for her assistance. Its her backup plan in case Plan A fails."

The mirth in his eyes and all amusement fades at her statement "No,"

"Your mother linked you to your siblings so she could end your life but you think that she'll just give up if Alaric fails? She planned on killing her own child―favorite one actually―just to kill you but you doubt she'd use an ex against you? If she was willing to kill her own flesh and blood, what makes you think she wouldn't kill her? Because she's a fellow witch?" Bonnie stares at him waving her hand down her body to make her point "Ayanna was her mentor and best friend but she didn't even blink when one of her descendants lost her life. One who's power she was siphoning off for years at that. Come on Klaus, you're pretty but not enough to be this stupid and far too old to be that naive."

"But maybe not," she considers "you bonded with a witch and let her live. Either she's powerful or your little plan backfired on you if you didn't take her life. I was bouncing off the walls and could feel everything Stefan felt for weeks after he healed me. Blood from a witch is rocket fuel to a vampire but vampire blood to a witch is…" she trails off "an Original one at that...I can only imagine the things she can do. Or the things that she will do to make it stop. Are you willing to find out together?" Bonnie questions as she takes a step towards him.

Standing across from her he realizes that she is truly unafraid of him. It would amuse him had he not realized that it had been reversed. He'd gone from being the predator to the prey since he broke his curse. The irony of it was not lost on him. He's the most powerful being on the planet but the witch standing before him has him doubting it.

"That's what I thought." She states when he only glowers at her in response.

"What do you need her for?"

"She has something that does not belong to her."

Klaus stares at her trying to figure out what she's referring to, and then it clicks. The one thing that he was on the cusp of denying her until she tapped into her own end and used it to her advantage "She won't hand it over willingly."

"Which is where you come in. It was never yours to give in the first place. I want it delivered to me by next week or you'll be receiving a visit from your psychotic ex girlfriend and her clingy brother." she smiles knowing that she has him when his eyes briefly widen "Do that, and I'll perform a restraining spell so they can never touch you or your family. I might even disband The Strix as an extra incentive. They have caused quite the disturbance in the community and have been watching from the shadows, learning from not only ours but the ones before us mistakes. I know that it's not an easy task that can happen over night, so I'll settle for _your_ word until it's done. Refuse and she'll be at your door by dawn and Alaric will have his own army with the promise of a break of their Sire line and a push in the right direction with the help of a Bennett to finish what Esther started.

"You wouldn't," Klaus hisses, frowning when he's stopped from closing the space between them by an invisible barrier. Straightening his spine when he sees her normally green eyes flash a pretty teal as a white flame takes residence where her pupil should be. He clutches at his stomach and neck when it feels as if someone has just poured gasoline down his throat before sending a lit match down his windpipe.

"Make that by the end of this week by that cute hybrid you had surveilling Kol and I. I might have said yes if you sent him instead. I've always had a thing for blondes."

"Then why go after your best friend's little brother?" Klaus manages to rasp out.

"It was nice to have some attention that went beyond what I could do for them. Or maybe it was loneliness. It can be a real bitch and lower your usual standards. I would explain that to you but just as everyone else here I think you already know a thing or two about that."

"I never showed up at your door." He mocks her.

"That's true," Bonnie agrees holding the hybrid's stare "but I never showed up at yours either." she states with a smile of her own as his drops "Are you done trying to lower a teenage girl's self esteem or do you need a little more time to get past your ego and agree to my terms because we both know that you don't really have any other options here."

"Fine,"

"That's not going to work for me, I need you to say it."

"You will have Ayanna's grimoire in your possession by the end of the week. You have my word."

Bonnie nods then shifts her gaze to Elijah who stands to his full height "I don't trust you so I want no promises from you. If you want some marginal orders then my request is that you stay out of my way. Only speak or look at me when it is necessary for us to be in the same vicinity. Which will be little to none if things go in my favor."

"Miss Bennett-"

"What did I just say?" Bonnie cuts him off, and despite the calm, even tone and indifference in her eyes as she addresses him it sends a shiver running down his spine "You threatened my father's life." she continues "As I have said before, we drop our morals when we feel it is necessary, but not even your brother or Damon have done that. By no means am I saying that saying they're any better than you are but that fact alone speaks volumes about your character. So until you drop the high and mighty, "We're the same." act, you do not exist to me. Just pretend that everything after your apology to Elena hasn't happened. That you skipped town after you left that little letter for her and she happily accepted your apology and go along with your life."

"As for you, Damon, unless you and Kisa spent your time doing something that I don't want to hear about, I'm sure you have an idea of what I want you to do until I need you for something else."

"So what, I'm your bitch now?"

"No, that would suggest that I trust you or that I feel as if I can truly rely on you to do as I ask. Just answer the phone if I call and try to not do anything stupid and keep Elena from making the situation worse. Otherwise I call the whole thing off and go back to seeing if you can pull something off on your own that doesn't involve saving Elena."

"What about Stefan?" He asks, figuring that it would be wise to ignore her barb.

"What _about_ Stefan?"

"It's just that we can't help but notice that Stefan isn't exactly getting the cold shoulder."

"Just do your part, you don't need to worry about mine."

All eyes go to Stefan noticing the slight edge to his voice and the warning in his eyes as he addresses his brother.

Elijah's gaze shifts to Bonnie watching as the corner of her mouth quirks upward as her gaze lingers on the younger Salvatore only looking away when the recovering ripper turns to face her. Remembering Stefan's devotion to Elena, he brushes the thought off figuring he's just reading too much into things. But when he spares a glance to his younger brother and sees the interest in the hybrid's eyes as they dart back and forth between the two before he meets his own gaze head on with a hint of a smirk on his lips. Elijah figures that maybe he didn't have a brief lapse in his sanity after all.

"What does Stefan have a habit of doing?" Bonnie directs her question to Damon knowing that if she just leaves everything at Stefan's retort that the other vampires present would jump to conclusions and attempt to play on her soft spot when it came to the younger Salvatore.

"Brooding, feeling guilt over things out of his control, blaming himself for everything. Take your pick." Damon snarks with a smirk.

"Exactly," she nods "So shutting Stefan down would be counterproductive. He would only try harder and make me feel as if I'm going overboard. By letting him in and being more lenient, he's still being him but it plays on his guilt. How could he treat me the way he did and allowed you to do the same? He's the reason that the love of his life lost her best friend. Sadistic, I know but if I did this with any of you you'd take it as me being pissed but you could still use me. With Stefan, he's making it up to me. It's a win win. He's using me to get back to his old self, I'm following the path of Bennett's before me but still keeping a piece of myself along the way. A true Bennett, but without becoming a different person entirely. Stefan is still on my shit list. He's just working his way down that list."

Damon snorts and looks away.

"I have no delusions in Stefan actually wanting to be my friend, Damon. Just as I have no delusions in any of you doing what I ask to get in my good graces but to save your asses. I'm letting Stefan do what he does best because he knows that none of you can or will unless the person's name is Elena Gilbert or Caroline Forbes. Someone that you share your last name with on a good day. So instead of questioning what he's doing and why I'm allowing it, you should be thanking him and maybe attempt to follow his lead. Starting with what I just asked from you. Or die with your pride and Elena's deeming as her hero." Bonnie offers with a lift of her shoulders.

"Any other questions or can we all go back to pretending that I don't exist until something happens that requires otherwise?"

Bonnie looks at them all, nodding when none of them say a word and walks over to Kol's still form and bends down. Grazing her fingers down the side of his face watching as he stirs before rising to her feet, turning on her heel and leaving without another word.

* * *

She's walking out of the girl's locker room, duffle bag hiked over her shoulder when she runs right into what feels like a brick wall.

"A little dramatic," Stefan states, cool as ever as he holds her with a hand on each shoulder until she's steady on her feet.

"I didn't say anything that wasn't true." She replies, a frown settling across her features when his lips quirk upward in response though there's not one trace of amusement otherwise.

"Something on your mind, Stefan?"

"We're _both_ doing what we do best."

Bonnie narrows her eyes.

"I'm trying to protect and save everyone but myself, and you're still making excuses, giving people chances that they don't deserve and comparing your worth to Elena and Caroline."

Bonnie lets out a humourless chuckle "Old habits die hard," she concedes to his point "but I think it's better than kneeling at Elena's alter. Desperately trying to breathe life into a dead relationship and standing on the front line in a war that has nothing to do with me as one of her little toy soldiers." Straightening her spine when Stefan's eyes flash with anger.

Caroline Forbes stops mid step eyes wide at the scene unfolding before her and turns on her heel in an attempt to slip back into the locker room before either picks up on her presence but stops when Bonnie calls after her.

Her eyes close, and she internally curses before turning back around "Hm?"

"I said, where are you going?" Bonnie repeats making a point of ignoring Stefan's gaze.

"I forgot my keys in my locker."

"Your keys are in your hand." Bonnie states with a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Fine," the blonde huffs "I don't want any part of whatever this is. In our little group; tension never ends well. So whatever this is about to lead to I'd rather not be a witness to it. Please don't make me or use me as an excuse to ignore it and let it continue to grow until it turns into a night of a regret and me talking you both down from a metaphorical ledge instead of something that I want details about, that you both will refuse to give me. Okay?" She looks back and forth between the vampire and the witch, a pleading look in her eyes before turning her attention to the ground as she starts to walk around her two friends.

Bonnie blinks and Stefan finally turns to the vampire her response managing to break past his anger and gain his full attention.

"Care…"

"I'll wait for you in the car." She says keeping her head down as she walks around the two currently standing side by side as they both turn to keep her in their line of sight.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at nine thirty. Wear something comfortable." He says, pointedly staring at the ankle boots encasing her feet before moving to walk around her stopping when she says,

"Excuse me?"

"You promised me a day, not an hour and a half cut short by someone with a pretentious name." He remarks over his shoulder leaving Bonnie standing alone in the hallway as he rounds the corner with an incredulous look on her face.


	9. Chapter 9

**You are more than free to skip the bold if you just want to get to the update. I just wanted to address the concerns I spotted in some of the reviews here in case they're the consensus.**

 **A/N: I want to thank you all for all of the reviews and messages I truly do appreciate each and every one of them. I do understand the confusion as to who's working with who, the pacing of Stefan and Bonnie, and especially where Bonnie and Elena are coming from. I'll divulge in alliances throughout the story. In my personal opinion had the show not put Stefonnie to rest to get back to the love triangle, with their temperaments in mind I think Stefan wouldn't have abandoned ship or disregarded Bonnie as quick as he did and she always forgives even when she should be like "...um no." and I don't want to go completely OOC as I** **always** **tend to do in my stories. Which is why their pacing is the way that it is.** **Also trying to work within the time frame I set in chapter four.  
** **  
As far as Bonnie and Elena I know I'm alone on this one but I enjoyed their moments when Elena didn't have her Salvatore blinders on. Mainly because I think Kat and Nina have solid platonic chemistry when the writers showed their character's "friendship". And had the writers put effort into portraying Elena the way they thought they were or occasionally did in earlier seasons, I'm just attempting to show how that might have went here. And despite being in agreement that Bonnie should have officially flicked her to curb in season three along with the Salvatores, I'd like to reiterate that Bonnie is far too forgiving by nature.**

 **I am sorry if you feel as though I'm failing in those regards.**

 **I have stated this before in another A/N but I don't believe I've done so here but criticism is never unwelcomed as long as it's not intentionally discouraging or malicious. So don't hesitate if you have questions, are confused or your head tilts at something I write.**

 **Sorry for the lengthy A/N.  
**

* * *

He pulls his car to a stop in Bonnie's driveway and tunes his hearing to her house to make sure she's inside and hasn't given him the slip. Only turning the key when he picks up the sound of a door closing and he climbs out of his vehicle making his way towards the door and waits. Watching as the door swings open to reveal the young witch standing on the other side clothed in a marvel character themed sweatshirt paired with black sweatpants and worn out sneakers. Her hair piled on the top of her head in an over the top messy bun topped off with a face free of makeup save the strawberry scented chapstick that infiltrates his senses.

"You said wear something comfortable." She greets him with a smile that drops when she sees him speed away returning not a second later in a similar ensemble but unlike her own looks like a well thought out choice instead of getting dressed in the dark as her own does. Not bothering to fight the frown that she feels her features contort into at the unbothered expression on his face as he stares down at her.

"I would have worn the one with holes in it but Caroline took it upon herself to clean my closet." He says pulling at the hem of his hoodie before moving to pull the door closed behind her. Making a point of holding her stare as he takes a step back, making a motion with his hand for her to lead the way. Not wanting to give her the chance to take the opportunity of his back being turned to her to run back inside.

"Why?" She questions once they're fully situated in his car.

"I'm not like my brother. As much as I'd like to be okay with people not liking me or not wanting me around to not bother me. It does. We agreed on you giving me one day to try to make it up to you, I'm not going to take it lightly. If you want to spend it as if you'd rather be anywhere else, short answers, dragging your feet, then that's fine. At least I'll be able to say that I tried. I don't blame you for not wanting anything to do with me. I know that if I were you I would feel the same. I know I deserve way less than what you're giving me. And as selfish as it is I'm going to take advantage of it."

Bonnie presses her lips together and shifts her gaze to the windshield.

"Making you feel bad is not what I'm trying to do here." Stefan tries to assure her seeing the guilty look on her profile "It's like I said; I understand. You don't believe that I want your forgiveness and that this is all just to save me and my brother. I'm not going to try to convince you that that's not the case. We both know that it's a waste of time since you've already made up your mind. Which again, I understand. I haven't given you much to go by to convince you otherwise. Anytime I manage to make some kind of headway something comes and ruins it. And with my days being numbered I really don't have anything to lose."

"Other than Elena." The words are out before she can stop them.

He waits for annoyance, resignation or hurt to come at her retort and when neither show he only looks at her "We should get going if we're going to stock up on your supplies." he shifts to start his car but stops "On second thought that doesn't seem to be the best idea." noting the way she blinks, realization seeming to dawn on her in his peripheral though decides to voice his reasoning despite it "I don't think we should spend anytime on anything to do with magick."

She wants to ask what he has in mind as a replacement but refrains knowing he wouldn't answer. Settling for relaxing in her seat and turning her head to the side watching the scenery go by trying to figure it out on her own. Feeling a bout of anxiety hit her once they past the sign signaling the exit of Mystic Falls and turns to him.

He waits for her to to voice the question that is no doubt on the tip of her tongue going by how her heartbeat has started to race and the way she's visibly tensed.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Stefan keeps his eyes straight ahead as he nods, not being able to fight the smile that pulls at his lips when it's not at all what he expected it to be. Yet still something that he had found himself to always mentally preparing himself for, and the answer was always the same but never the rationalization.

"Do you ever regret coming back?"

"Yes,"

Bonnie blinks.

"My brother and I have definitely overstayed our welcome, pushed our luck, taken way more than we've given and had active parts in taking and or endangering everyone's life more than saving. But there's still no guarantee that everyone would have been better off. The only concrete things are that you would have found out about what you are and so would Elena."

"I'm not trying to make myself out to be a hero or better than Damon but whether I came back or not, Damon still would have came back here to free Katherine. I'm not saying he would have gone about things the same exact way but he would have went after the same people he needed to make that happen. John knew Katherine so she would have found Elena regardless. Klaus would have come back, broken his curse. Only difference is he would never be able to make more."

"It sounds like you are." Bonnie points out, irked at the insinuation that she wouldn't have been able to stop Klaus had it not been for his presence.

Stefan lets out a breath nodding his head seeing where he went wrong.

"The only thing I would change is how I went about protecting her. I wouldn't do it at anyone's expense, except my own."

"Or you could just tell Elena to stop buying Elijah's crap."

"That too," He agrees, letting his head loll to the side to look at Bonnie when she doesn't respond, frowning when he sees the look on her face.

"You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

Bonnie once again finds herself stunned wondering when Elena stopped being his primary focus.

"She made a deal with Elijah to keep his family from killing you and Damon in case you all survive."

He stares at Bonnie for a moment turning away just in time before he crashed into the vehicle in which the driver is unnecessarily pressing on their break and veers into the next lane. As much as he would like to say that he's surprised he can't, taking his ex girlfriend's track record with the now eldest of the Mikaelson siblings into consideration. Wondering just how many times it would take before Elena realized that Elijah couldn't be trusted when it came down to keeping his siblings in line or that the worth of his word was as the equivalent to the one of a rock. He almost finds himself physically scratching his head when he remembers how quick he was to get behind the doppelgänger's decisions when the backlash and consequences were somehow always worse than the last.

Bonnie waits and waits and waits for his reaction, finding herself completely taken back when the younger Salvatore starts to laugh of all things.

"Stefan,"

She can't help but press her body into the car door when he starts to laugh harder, even more so when he sees her physical reaction to his response until he meets her eyes. Immediately seeming to sober and an apologetic look to take its place.

"Damon always said that me respecting her choices would get her killed." he begins to explain "But me stopping and leaving her alone so he could go about the way he's always insisted on has basically signed our death certificates. He once called me stupid because I went into a situation to save Elena in which the outcome could have been my death. I'm just appreciating the irony of this."

"Why did you?" Bonnie stares at him curiously "Start distancing yourself from her." She elaborates when he spares her a quick glance spotting the confusion in his eyes.

He finds that the answer to her question sends him back to the first time he and Elena had spoken about Bonnie.

"I like Bonnie. She seems like a good friend."

"Best friend in the world." Elena had quickly corrected him, her voice light, a small smile accompanying her words despite the fire that flashed in her eyes at Bonnie being thought of anything less.

"The one time I did take Elena's choice away from her ended with her losing one of the most important people in her life."

Bonnie snorts and looks away.

Stefan glances at Bonnie upon her reaction serving to give him pause. He didn't know how he had missed it before but in that moment it had clicked for him that that was where Bonnie's anger had stemmed from. It really had nothing to do with him or his brother as much as Bonnie being hurt from repeatedly being so easily disregarded by the doppelgänger that she had once called a sister. He and Damon's presence in their lives had ruined and clouded the brunette's priorities and Bonnie had simply grown tired of handling them for Elena.

He starts to open his mouth to attempt to make Bonnie see that Elena surely had never meant to make her feel this way. Apologize on his own behalf for his part in Elena's actions but stops and decides to abandon the topic knowing that at this rate his ex will be the center of attention. Once again ruin what little headway he may actually succeed in making. And is sure that Bonnie wouldn't appreciate him stepping in and trying to do so on his ex's behalf going by how she's made it clear that she's no longer allowing or entertaining coddling anyone and hellbent on holding everyone accountable for their own actions.

"I'm not exactly in a place to be considered a positive influence for anyone right now. Looking back I'm not sure I ever was." He adds under his breath.

Bonnie bites her tongue when she finds that she's about to come to his defense. Remembering how his initial presence brought Elena back to her, but remembers just as fast that he also had as much of a part in taking her best friend away. And yet before Bonnie can stop herself she finds her hand reaching towards the vampire until her hand is on his, giving it a gentle squeeze. Surprised by the warmth she feels instead of the cold as ice she found she was expecting. Which immediately makes her retract her hand, turning away from him when he turns to face her, as if he were questioning what he had done to upset her.

She closes her eyes when she spots his lips parting in what she's sure to ask her as much when her stomach decides to weigh in it's own opinion.

"I would ask if you've eaten yet but I think I already know the answer." Stefan comments deciding to take the distraction her body has taken upon itself to provide.

Bonnie feels the back of her hand meeting his arm. The frown on her face managing to pass as her disapproval at his comment rather than the pain that shoots through her as the consequence of her action being the sensation of slamming her hand into stone.

Thirty minutes later she finds herself staring at a diner and as soon as she walks through the door she's hit with the smell of what promises to not have her reaching for the complimentary salt.

"So," Bonnie drags out the word as she tries to find something to say. No longer being able to take the silence between them. They were five minutes into nothing but the sounds of background conversations from other guests. Footsteps of a lone waitress going from one table to the next taking on the task of serving what is a full house from the looks of it. The turning of the lamented bind showing what the restaurant has to offer in her hands. And her steadily increasing heartbeat in what she was sure his ears were picking up loud and clear going by how they seemed to point towards her. "what's your least favorite vampire myth?" Looking up to Stefan as she waits for his response, ignoring the look between amusement and utter bafflement at her question.

"Shining in the sun." He manages to reply through a straight face. Immediately returning the smile that it receives as Bonnie nods her head through a reluctant grin returning her eyes to the menu. "Crosses and garlic." He answers after thinking it through.

Bonnie stops her surveying and glances up at him briefly noting that he hasn't even touched his menu "I'm sorry?"

"I was raised as a Catholic," he reiterates before explaining the latter "My mother made a point of Damon and I helping her in the kitchen whenever our father wasn't around to stop her from keeping our…" he stops and clears his throat averting his gaze "To stop us from preventing our cooks to do their job." He finishes awkwardly, his hand going to the back of his neck, practically exhaling in relief when someone comes to a stop at their table.

She looks away from the vampire, following his line of sight to be greeted with the sight of a beautiful woman with flawless deep brown skin, long curly black hair and brown eyes. Two ceramic cups in one hand and a pot of coffee in the other.

"Sorry Stefan, as you can see we have a full house today." The woman says in an apologetic tone as she says pours the coffee into his cup that unlike the others Bonnie notices has steam coming from it. Though she stops short of filling Bonnie's waiting cup when she turns to meet the young witch's eyes. "I'm getting the feeling that you won't like this one."

Bonnie glances at Stefan who has already placed his now empty cup back onto the table, even licking his lips afterwards. And Bonnie quickly figures it out on her own. Her eyes going to take a quick sweep of the room wondering why she hasn't sensed anyone and even the woman doesn't give her the feeling she usually gets whenever she's in a vampire's presence. She feels a bout of panic run through her but it stops when she feels her magick come to a stop at the tips of her fingers before she causes a scene.

"I…"

"He keeps my secret, I do the same." The woman responds refilling his cup just below the brim, turning to go behind the counter and swapping it out for another before returning to the table. "I haven't seen a Bennett in ages though. It's a nice change."

Once again Bonnie finds herself left speechless.

"I wouldn't be much of a witch if I couldn't spot a Bennett when I saw one. Especially the one that's gone toe to toe with Klaus. How is he by the way?" She shifts her eyes back to Stefan.

"He's Klaus,"

"I'm sure of it." she mutters "I'm sorry," she returns her attention to Bonnie "I always lose my manners around this one. I'm Xienna," She introduces herself holding out her hand for Bonnie to take.

"Bonnie," Bonnie replies taking the woman's hand. Emerald eyes widening when she's bombarded with flashes of a different life. Starting from images of a witch she feels a faint calling too despite not knowing her, with dark brown skin, dreaded locks pulled back into a low ponytail, hands placed firmly on the woman's hips as her coal black eyes go back and forth between her own and the two girls on either side of Bonnie. What she could swear to be Rebekah Mikaelson beaming at her as they weave flowers into their braids sitting side by side at the bank of a watering hole. Klaus leaning into the hand that is placed against the side of his face, before turning to place his lips to her palm. Long curls fanning out as she dances around the fire laughter falling from her lips as Kol twirls her around the wild flames. A language Bonnie doesn't understand while she goes back and forth with both Finn and Elijah as they make their way through the woods, baskets in the Mikaelson men's hands nearly filled to the brim with varying herbs that she continues to pick up along their way. The same woman she saw in the first vision explaining that she has to cross the veil before it goes back up. Ultimately ending with the image of staring back at herself in the present moment. She tears her hand away from the woman staring down at her who shows no outward reaction to her abrupt movement.

"Esme,"

Bonnie snaps her head to Stefan upon hearing the wariness in his tone then back to the woman who only turns back to the vampire as if he hadn't called her outside her name.

"You weren't kidding," Xienna says, turning back to Bonnie with a remorseful expression "Sorry, that was insensitive of me."

Bonnie only looks at her too busy racking her brain on what just happened to be able to register anything else.

"Is there something I can get for you or do you need some more time?"

"French toast," Bonnie finds herself replying despite it all.

"Good choice, eggs?"

"Scrambled,"

Xienna nods writing the order down "Bacon?"

Bonnie nods, watching as the older witch shifts her eyes back to Stefan who nods when she says that she assumes he wants the usual before turning to walk away as if nothing happened at all.

"Are you okay?"

"Hell no, I'm not okay." Is on the top of her tongue but instead Bonnie nods "I'm fine, just a little lightheaded from not eating."

"And Esme letting you read her." he says matter of fact, giving her a look.

"How long have you known Xie," she clears her throat "Esme?"

"Sixty seven years." He answers without skipping a beat.

Bonnie looks at him.

"Immortal witch," he answers her unvocalized query "occasional waitress and owner."

Bonnie finds her gaze going to the counter where Xienna is talking to a customer laughing at whatever was said before turning to look her way and she rises from her seat "Bathroom?" She questions seeing the curious look Stefan is giving her, nodding when he hooks his thumb over his shoulder and walks away without another word.

As soon as she's inside she rushes to the sink and turns the tap on splashing cold water on her face. Only opening her eyes when she feels as if she's calmed down.

"Breathe," a voice directs from behind her "After Lucy I don't think this place could handle another explosion. Or me getting away with another time manipulation spell."

"Lucy?" Bonnie frowns "Who-"

"I tend to stray from the word grandma. Doesn't really suit me." Xienna grins "Besides I'm pretty sure you're Nadi's. She was always the untapped potential, timid as a church mouse. She seems to like you—and she never likes anyone, like ever—so I think I'm Auntie. I could check to make sure if you'd like."

"I don't...I don't understand."

"Precisely the problem. Our ancestors" she sighs "so self righteous and judgemental. Shutting you out and so quick to punish you. When they're the reason you're like this in the first place. I warned Sheila but she didn't want you to expose you until your powers manifested and when they did she was taken from you too soon. I told the others to reach out to you but one mention of your ties to the doppelgänger and Niklaus' impending return and they cower. Witches always talk of protecting and looking after their own but-"

"And just where have you been?" Bonnie snaps before she can stop herself.

Xienna stands up straight at that but deflates just as fast knowing Bonnie had a point "Fair enough, as much as I'd like to say it's because you weren't ready..." she lowers her eyes "I let my apprehension of facing Nik again get in the way. Projection spells aren't reliant when emotions come into play. And for that I am deeply sorry, Bonnie."

A look of disgust is the only thing Bonnie can manage as the implication of her apparent ancestor's words take front and center. The vision of Klaus resurfaces and she tenses suddenly feeling wary of the woman's intentions and claims of relation.

"He's a monster not hideous," Xienna defends herself "and he was not always such. I…" she trails off "Niklaus is not what we should be focusing on. We don't have the time to say all that needs to be said or discussed but you won't trust me without giving you something." she takes a breath "My mother chose me to come back to this plane to help a descendant. Said I'd know when I saw them. I thought it was Sheila but from the power I'm sensing I know it's you. I'm not sure what you're doing with Stefan but go with it and when you're done. You know where to find me. From what I gathered you seem to have everything handled but a little help never hurts and even the most powerful of witchlings could use a mentor. Especially with the 'Original Witch' on the loose." She states the last part with an eye roll making it clear to Bonnie that she wasn't alone on being annoyed with the title the Mikaelson matriarch had been dubbed.

"Stefan said you were an Immortal witch."

"Can't exactly tell someone my mom made me leave the Other Side to help a descendent put my ex down and my name isn't the most common around." Xienna pauses "I know that it's not my business especially since I didn't come sooner but be careful. Our community is full of gossips, it won't take long for news of the Bennett prodigy and the Ripper to become public knowledge." She cautions with a teasing smile, grinning when Bonnie's face scrunches up.

"No, me and Stefan...that's not what this is."

"Like I said, it's not my business." Xienna smirks.

Before Bonnie can stop her Xienna is out the door and she quickly follows after. Frowning when the woman is nowhere to be seen and begrudgingly goes back to the table.

She can't say she is surprised when another waitress delivers their food and refuses Stefan when he tries to pay when she comes back for their plates not to long after they've finished their respective meals in what was complete silence.

"On the house, owners orders." The redhead replies once she spots Stefan reaching for his wallet.

Though quickly changes her energy when he removes a crisp fifty dollar bill, holding it between his fingers deeming it a tip. Pocketing the bill with a smile on her lips telling him to come back next week at one o'clock before gliding over to another table.

"So how was your talk with Esme?"

"She's...interesting."

"That's one way to put it," He agrees holding the door to the diner open for her as they make their way back to his car.

Bonnie turns to him with a scowl on her face suddenly wondering if this was the witch he spoke of.

"No," he shakes his head "but not for lack of trying." he admits "She told me to talk to her when I didn't have milk behind my ears."

Bonnie laughs but then remembers her Grams admission of meeting Stefan long before his return to Mystic Falls and of course Emily and tries to put a stop to the thoughts before they can begin.

"No," His voice breaks through her thoughts once again as soon as he notices the way Bonnie is refusing to look at him, as she crawls into his car. "She had no relation to the Bennett line." Nearly laughing at the way she seems to breathe again.

"Any chance you're going to tell me where we're going?" she asks as he peels out of the parking lot "Thought so," She murmurs when he doesn't even glance at her as he pulls back onto the interstate. Both settling in their seats when they see the bumper to bumper traffic.

"So you watched Twilight?" Bonnie questions knowing the ride would be torture if it was to be in complete silence.

"With Caroline's commentary."

Bonnie winces.

 **-X-**

Kisa is just exiting Damon's bathroom, towel wrapped around her frame as she runs her fingers through her hair when she sees the door swing open and fully expects the raven haired vampire to walk in and berate her for helping herself to his when there were other perfectly fine options throughout the home. Only to be surprised when she's greeted to Elena Gilbert, watching a range of emotions flash across the young girl's face at her appearance. Clearly jumping to conclusions and Kisa isn't sure if she wants to put a stop to them just yet as she finds herself oddly amused and curious. Remembering Katherine telling her of the girl's involvement with Stefan who she's yet to come across despite her residence in his home.

"I" Elena starts but stops and lowers her eyes "Is Damon here?" she questions stepping to look behind the woman she's yet to get a name from looking for signs of the elder Salvatore's presence "I need to talk to him."

"I think he left for New Orleans with Katerina."

Elena's eyebrows knit together "Katherine?" she parrots then laughs as if it were a joke "Damon willingly went somewhere with Katherine? Why?"

"I said I think. I don't really care to know all that they do."

"All that they do?" Elena repeats incredulously then stops and shakes her head. Turning towards the door when she hears the floorboards creaking to see Katherine strutting inside with Damon on her heels both of which stopping when they see her. The former being the first to recover a smirk on her lips at the look on her doppelgänger's face. While the latter closes his eyes after spotting Kisa in nothing but a fluffy white towel and a raised eyebrow, disappointment clear in her eyes that he chooses to ignore. Though not like he has a choice as Elena steps towards him. "We need to talk."

"If it's about your choice in Originals then there's really no need. Apparently we both already picked our teammates. Mine comes in a pretty but lethal package. Yours with a knife covered in each and everyone of our blood's glued to his hand." Damon shuts her down watching as Elena actually has the nerve to look appalled. As if he's the one that made the bad call.

"Damon,"

"Bonnie's pick." Damon shrugs "I'm just following her lead on this one."

"Bonnie?" Elena says through a laugh but quickly remembers her friend walking with the blonde with both Caroline and the woman practically breathing down her neck "Right," she breathes deciding to get back to the point of her visit not wanting to dwell on her current standing with Bonnie "Elijah said that Klaus' discovered that the daggers are missing. Do you know anything about that?"

Damon frowns then turns to look at Katherine just as she turns to him, frown deepening at her reply.

"Oh, that's right. I didn't tell you." Katherine mutters "Bonnie said Rebekah overheard him sending his hybrids to track Esther and Alaric. He thinks that your psycho bestie took them in his breakout."

"Because that's the type of thing that manages to slip your mind when you're walking around in a town filled with people that…" Damon trails off and looks to Elena before turning back to Katherine and rounds on his ex. Ice blue eyes dropping to the vampire's chest before moving to make a grab for the necklace. Who immediately grabs his hand and breaks it before sending him flying across the room right into his dresser.

"Get your filthy hands off of" Just as the vampire before her Katherine stops and looks down for her necklace. Letting out a breath of relief when her fingers find the charm and pull it out of the valley between her breasts and sees the familiar green glow. Then cuts her eyes back to Elena. "You can see me."

Elena stares at her ancestor with an annoyed look on her face "Of course I can see you, you're standing right in front of me."

"No, you idiot." Katherine snaps "Bonnie made it so that only people that I can trust can see my face. It's the reason I'm here in the first place. If you can see me-"

Elena frowns "Bonnie is helping you?"

"Why am I not surprised you're glossing over this and making it about you? Do you even try to focus on anyone other than yourself, Stefan and that one" she briefly looks at Damon who is just getting back on his feet "anymore?" Katherine cocks her head at the brunette.

Elena opens her mouth then closes it not wanting to entertain Katherine any longer than she already has, returning her attention to Damon who is picking glass out of his hair "Do you have the daggers or did Alaric really take them?"

"I don't have them." He answers simply, deciding to not let her in on the daggers in Alaric and Esther's possession not being real in the first place. The last thing he needed was Elijah knowing and letting Klaus in on the secret. It would take all of two seconds for the Mikaelsons to be on his doorstep jumped to the same conclusion as the doe eyed brunette standing before him had. Though he can't help but wonder if Elijah already knows or if Rebekah and Kol had decided to keep it between just the two of them.

Elena swallows and looks down before returning her eyes to his waiting stare.

"You're going to have to go to Blondie if you want Bonnie's help. She might be talking to me but I'm not exactly in her inner circle...yet." Damon smiles.

Katherine snorts "Pretty sure turning her mother after deciding her fate on a coin toss trumps everything I've done to her." she snarks when Damon looks at her as if she's lost her mind if she honestly thinks she has more of a chance than he does "And even if it didn't you're still...well you." Katherine smiles and turns on her heel, hiking the black duffle bag she retrieved from Damon's closet over her shoulder "I'll be in the cellar stocking up on alcohol. I think we'll both need it if we want to survive this long of a drive in the same car."

 **-X-**

If she thought going to a church was surprising she could only blink at this as his car comes to a stop. She hasn't been here in years but she'd recognize it anywhere.

Meridian Hill Park.

Before her life took a downward spiral she spent practically every weekend here. Whether it was with her father, Grams or with her friends as they got old enough to venture out past the borders of Mystic Falls on their own.

"I remember you saying that you hadn't been here since...everything. Figured that this would be a nice place to start. I looked up the hidden theater you talked about wanting to go to, to see if it was still up. They might try to turn us away but what are vampire acquaintances for?"

She feels her lips part but before she can get a word out he's already out of his car strolling over to her side and she feels her shoulders drop. Yet another piece of the ice around her heart involuntarily falling off.

Bonnie raises an eyebrow when she looks over to Stefan to see him staring at the Buchanan memorial with a sad smile on his face.

"Lexi once snapped Damon's neck and left him naked in his bedroom as a birthday present to me." He explains with a grin.

"She broke into the White House." Bonnie says incredulously. Yet amused at the thought and execution of it all.

Stefan nods, his eyes still on the marble carved into the former President's likeness.

"At least it was for a good cause," Bonnie says, offering him a smile when he turns to look at her.

"He still refuses to talk about it." Stefan smiles when Bonnie's eyes widen.

As they near the drum circle she finds herself wishing even more so than before that she hadn't pulled this when she sees the way other attendees are dressed. Some making it clear that they were on a date; the women in dresses and heels, hand in hand with men dressed to compliment their attire. Just as the way she and Caroline had always declared they would if ever brought here on a date. Which this definitely was not, she finds herself reminding her of that simple fact. While lone attendants were dressed casually. And then there was Stefan and herself. Each of which she was sure would be mistaken for homeless if they sat down with coffee cups in their hands. With the exception of one lone male that confidently makes his way through the crowd and sets himself up ignoring the strange looks he's getting from the others ready to start on cue.

She watches for a moment as two members of the waiting crowd make their way down the steps and start dancing to the upbeat rhythm the drummers have set. The woman turning a bright shade of red as her date starts to dance around her before taking her hand and twirling her around eliciting a musical laugh from her before she gives in. Looking around when she sees others follow their lead pleasantly surprised by it all. Taking a quick glance around she waves her hand down her body after picturing the way she wishes she had dressed and looks over to Stefan to see him staring back at her with a dumbfounded look on his face. Her amusement short lived when she sees him in an attire that compliments her own.

He's not sure how it happened but one minute he's watching a lively the crowd the next he's looking over to see Bonnie with a face full of makeup from a dramatic wing against gunmetal eyeshadow to a black lip, her hair styled into a sleek low ponytail. He tries his hardest to not look down to see what else has changed but his eyes betray him as they drop down to see she's in a dark blue halter dress with the sides cut out. A clutch in her hands and black peep toe heels that bring her up a few inches above his shoulder finishing off her look. But what leaves him even more taken back is the dark blue shirt he spots on his chest that perfectly match the color of her dress paired with black pants and black shoes instead of what he changed into only a few hours ago.

He doesn't need to question if this was her doing or not but the look on her face at his change of clothing makes him wonder if it was intentional on her part. Yet he's never given the chance to question it as his phone chimes and he slides it out of his pocket, ready to hit ignore only to see that it's already time for them to start heading for what he actually had planned. Absentmindedly reaching for her hand as he starts to walk off towards the edge of the park. Trying to ignore the forming of a frown when she removes her hand from his until she loops her arm through his allowing him to lead the way despite her eyes going to something on her left. Stopping right along with her when whatever it is has successfully managed to get her full attention.

"The sign," Is all she says when he doesn't ask, only looks around trying to find it on its own.

He frowns when the only one he spots is the one by a man with a questionable safety of the stage reading "Magick Show". To which he feels a tug at the corner of his lips. "So he let his kid make the sign," Stefan lifts his shoulders spotting the little boy straightening out his bow tie while the man turns to look in their direction. A smile that sends a chill running down his spine before makes a point of tipping his hat to Bonnie. Without another word Stefan gently tugs at Bonnie's arm guiding her away from the man that is still looking their way until they're each out of the other's line of sight.

"He didn't misspell it." Bonnie explains herself feeling Stefan's questioning gaze on her "Magicians; the wands, top hats, card tricks. Magic. M-A-G-I-C." she spells the word out "That's how they spell it. But the magick that I practice." She stops and turns to look up at him. Watching the realization settle on his face, shaking her head when he stops midstep. "I think he knew. If he sensed me from that far away and is that blatant about it..."

"It's the last thing anyone needs right now." Stefan finishes.

"It's always something." Bonnie breathes, her mind going back to the diner as they round the upcoming corner.

"Not for the next...however many hours this is." Stefan says looking towards something across the street. Looking back to Bonnie just in time to see her reaction, watching as her face lights up, what they just saw seeming to now be the last thing on her mind.

"You're really making this hard for me."

"Yeah, well." Stefan shrugs, helping her step off of the sidewalk and out onto the street, making a point of holding her close so she doesn't fall. And gently pulls her to stop her from walking to the back of the line. Guiding her towards the steps ignoring the whines, huffs and other sounds of disapproval from those waiting in favor of greeting the man at the door that straightens at the sight of them.

"Mr. Salvatore," The man smiles and steps aside snapping his fingers towards the commissionaire who wordlessly moves to open the door. Looking to Bonnie giving her a thorough once over that stops at the clearing of Stefan's throat. "Samson will direct you to your seats, we'll get started as soon as everyone is seated. Or whenever you're ready." He quickly corrects himself, making Bonnie frown and turn to Stefan who doesn't seem to have done anything.

"When everyone is seated is fine." Bonnie takes it upon herself to answer holding Stefan's stare before turning to the man who looks as if he's a child torn between choosing to side with their mother or their father. The man only daring to move when she hears the exhale of Stefan's breath.

"You own this place, don't you?"

"It recently closed, I bought it and upgraded it a few months back."

"A few months back." Bonnie repeats as they follow who she assumes is Samson as he leads them down various halls, doing an admirable job of pretending to not listen to their conversation.

"It was going to be my "Thank you," gift for helping me with everything."

"A theater," Bonnie grins.

"A private show, but I didn't think that would go to well considering that we weren't on the best of terms. I'm pretty sure you would have refused to go anywhere near this place if it was only you. Caroline refuses to watch anything other than Titanic or The Notebook more than once. So I asked her to come and when she approved of the production, I thought this would be a decent start."

Bonnie stares at him for a moment then looks to Samson when he pulls a curtain back motioning for her to go inside with a smile on his face. Lowering his voice once she's at his side.

"If you don't want him I'll take him."

Bonnie looks to the man at his bold declaration then to Stefan who looks just as taken back before opening his mouth,

"This is my broken heel,"

Making whatever Bonnie was posed to say die on her lips and take a seat in the chair, eyebrows raised as she takes in the interior of the room. Noting that nearly every seat in the theater is taken, save the balcony seats surrounding them. Before her eyes go to the stage. The curtains opening as soon as a server has filled both Stefan and her own flute with champagne.

 **...**

"Were you happy with the ending?" Stefan questions, uncertainty and regret in his eyes. Making it clear to her that he thinks it wasn't the best choice all things considered.

"Not everyone gets or deserves a happy ending." Bonnie answers with a lift of her shoulders. Smiling and moving to loop her arm through his when her answer only serves to put him on edge. "Relax, Stefan. You're doing fine."

He nods then checks the time seeing that he has three hours left until his requested day was over.

"Can I?"

Bonnie stares at him for a moment before taking the hand he offers allowing him to speed her off until they're back to his car. Staring up at him curiously as she climbs into the passenger seat. Watching him move the car with ease throughout the traffic until he pulls off onto a dirt road and she immediately feels her hackles raise.

"Relax,"

"A vampire with a known blood addiction is telling-"

"A Bennett witch that can set him on fire before he could even think to make a move to calm down? Yes, that's exactly what is happening." he confirms pulling the car to a stop "This is it." He says looking out of his window.

Bonnie frowns seeing nothing but an empty field "What am I looking at Stefan?" Letting out a long breath when he only gets out of the car and opens her door waiting for to do the same but relents.

"You really don't see it?"

"If I did…" she trails off feeling feeling magick pulse in the air and her body moves with a mind of its own, walking deeper onto the field watching as a stone path suddenly appears beneath her feet and flowers spring to life from the ground around her. Feeling her breath catch in her throat when a building appears out of thin air that lights up each time her eyes go to the windows above the next.

Stefan looks over to the witch, amusement present in his eyes, confirming her suspicions.

"I'm no longer a welcomed guest but if you want to go inside, I can wait."

Bonnie turns to the building then back to the vampire waiting patiently for her decision. Wordlessly going back to car knowing he'd be out here all night if she went inside. Besides there was someone else who she had in mind that would be of more assistance in what she needed. Only nodding her head when he stares at her before closing the door and doing the same.

"Are you sure?"

"It's not like it's going anywhere, right?"

Stefan stares at her for a moment then turns to reach for something in the backseat handing it to Bonnie who takes it with both hands.

"What is this?"

"Open it," He replies turning to start his car and drive off surprised when she does as he request. Making a point of keeping his eyes on the road despite the soft gasp he he hears fall from her lips at his gift.

 **-X-**

She's scooping a glob of mint chocolate chip ice cream straight from the pint she's swapped from the freezer and into her mouth as she strolls out of Bonnie's kitchen with the intent to go back to the witch's bedroom when she hears a car coming to a stop outside.

"Finally," She groans out and goes to the door to open it to save Bonnie the trouble of pulling out her keys but stops when she hears her friend's voice and quickly rushes to the window. Pulling the curtain back enough to see outside but not enough to be spotted and feels her eyes widen at what the scene unfolding before her.

"Thank you, Stefan." Bonnie says to him just as she's about to go inside.

"For what?" Stefan looks at her.

Bonnie takes a breath then turns until they're standing toe to toe, leaning towards him until her lips are pressed against his cheek. Letting them linger for a moment before turning her back to him offering him a "Goodnight," Going inside never once looking back to have noticed that his eyes are closed. Or the red slowly creeping up his neck until it hits the tip of his ears.

"Oh, Bonnie," Caroline breathes before speeding back up to the her friend's bedroom just as the door opens.

* * *

 **A/N: I know the presidency of Buchanan doesn't line up with tvd cannon, I just like the idea of the prank.**


	10. Chapter 10

She's walking down the halls of the boarding house when she finally sees him.

It only takes her a second to realize that she wouldn't have to introduce herself to the previously unknown Salvatore brother. She remembered him being somewhat of a regular in the late nineteen twenties. Save the faint lines in his forehead in place of the manic glint in his eyes and blood dripping down his chin, he hasn't changed at all. He and Damon didn't favor the other at all but in the moment of coming face to face with them since the last she saw them, their reactions to her presence would make her think them to be twins.

"Stefan," Kisa smiles as she holds his wide eyed, slack jawed gaze. Her stride not stopping as opposed to the vampire that has stopped altogether. Deciding against awkward small talk she passes him and dips into the bedroom she claimed as her own leaving him standing alone in the hallway.

"Did I forget to mention that we have a guest?" Damon asks seeing the bewildered look on his brothers face as the younger Salvatore stares at the now closed door housing yet another apparent mutual friend of theirs.

"Yes," Stefan answers, shifting his gaze to Damon as the raven haired vampire closes in on him. Not buying that it was a slip on his brother's part for a second once Stefan sees the smirk on his face. "you did."

"Sorry," Damon offers with a shrug "It just kind of happened. And with you having your own little cabin in the woods—totally not feeding into the whole serial killer stereotype at all." he remarks sarcastically "I didn't think you'd mind all that much."

"Yeah, well with us being two over a century year old men and everyone knowing I'm not the one that needs a guardian. I thought it was time that I moved out." Stefan snarks not appreciating his brother's comment. To which Damon only snickers.

The sound of heels hitting the wood paneling grabs each Salvatore's attention and Stefan flits his eyes to look over Damon's shoulder. Watching as a familiar face struts out of his brother's room and he fights the urge to grab Damon and try to shake some sense into the elder Salvatore's head. It was strange how one would have felt as if he's been staked at the implication while another made his skin crawl with disgust.

"Hello, Handsome." Katherine Pierce smiles coming to a stop at Damon's side, extending her hand towards Stefan after giving him a thorough once over. Frowning when the former ripper only stares at her hand as if it's offended him before looking up to her face eyes narrowed. "I thought you said he was nice." She tries to fall into the act she has to keep up despite getting the feeling that she already blew her cover at her initial reaction to seeing her ex.

"Katherine, what the hell are you doing here?" Stefan's frown deepens when his ex blinks then turns to Damon "Either it's spelled so only the A team can see me. Or" she returns her whiskey hued eyes to Stefan "no one around here hates me as much as they claim to. I'll leave the two of you alone so you catch up." She states slipping her hand into Damon's pocket to grab the key to his car. Snapping the vampire's wrist when he tries to take them back. "You're not driving."

"Then we're not going." Damon counters, snatching his key from her hand.

"Okay," Katherine concedes after a brief stare down. She wasn't looking forward to another road trip with her bitter ex anyway, and she always did work better alone. Katherine was sure Bonnie would understand and relate to not wanting to spend time with Damon in an enclosed space for hours. Or at all. And it wasn't as if Damon stood a better chance in a case of "He said/She said" than she did. Sending a wink in Stefan's direction she twirls on her heel ready to go off on her own. But before she can even take a step she's yanked back by her hair, her prepared retaliation cut short by Damon swiftly snapping her neck. The blue eyed vampire not even bothering to attempt to prevent her tumble down the stairs.

Stefan sighs at his brother's actions. As much as he would have loved to do the same to their Sire at times, the recovering ripper was still disappointed that it only took so little for his brother to carry it out.

"I'll call you," Damon quickly puts a stop to the scolding before it can begin "in the meantime try to keep the houseguest busy until her boyfriend decides to grace us with his presence." He rolls his eyes, annoyed by the man's continued absence.

"Where are you going?"

"New Orleans," Damon answers over his shoulder as he starts his descent of the stairs.

"For what?"

"You spent the whole day with Bonnie and she didn't tell you anything?"

Stefan frowns wondering what Bonnie had to do with any of this but then Katherine's mention of a spell clicks.

"Don't bother trying to deny it. Her scent is all over you."

"I wasn't going to." Stefan replies and Damon stops on the landing, turning to face him, eyes narrowed at his response.

Damon opens his mouth but then stops remembering the vampire sprawled out on the first floor that could regain consciousness at any moment "Whatever, I'll tell you what I can over the phone."

"Don't get yourself killed." Stefan says as Damon tosses Katherine's dead weight over his shoulder.

"I'm touched,"

"Damon, I'm serious."

Damon stares at Stefan for a moment then nods, making a point of not looking at Stefan as he says,

"I guess I hope you don't get killed either."

 **-X-**

Only one foot is in her bedroom when she hears the tone of voice that Bonnie just knows would have had her best friend's children damn near in the fetal position alone.

"Explain,"

Bonnie opens and closes her mouth several times, ultimately settling for walking over to where Caroline is seated on her bed and places the box directly in front her best friend. Motioning for her to open the lid to which the vampire does only after Bonnie finally meets her waiting stare. That has the witch feeling as if she's a child caught sneaking back into her home reeking of alcohol and other narcotics that their parent has surely tried at least once in their own teen years.

"It's called the Hand of Glory." Bonnie says when she sees the disgusted look on Caroline's face "Typically they are only able to be used once, but this one. All you need are these are really rare and hard to come by herb, infused in candles. Once you put the candles in the hand, you can speak to someone on the Other Side."

Caroline sits upright, her disapproval disappearing as it sinks in.

"And that place I told you I was trying to find." she waits until Caroline nods "He knew about it and showed me where it was."

"Oh," Caroline breathes.

"Yeah," Bonnie nods.

"Elena met Kisa." Caroline changes the subject, continuing before Bonnie can stop her "And saw Katherine."

"What?"

"She said she's not going to say anything but she still wants to talk to you."

The urge to laugh is present but she gets the feeling that Caroline would strongly suggest a psych evaluation. "Well I don't really have a choice but too. She can be compelled. All they have to do is snatch her necklace. Or threaten Jeremy, Stefan, Damon, you or Matt. Or just be around Elijah for more than a second." Bonnie adds snidely.

Caroline opens her mouth to defend their brunette friend and remind Bonnie that she's on that list as much as anyone else is but stops and nods knowing that wouldn't go over to well.

"And what happened to wanting the night of something that we would refuse to give you details about?"

"That was when I thought whatever you and Stefan were doing was leading to hot hate sex. Not watching you dance around each other for months until he decides to hell with it, first kiss and you all spread eag-"

"Caroline!" Bonnie shrieks.

"You asked," the blonde vampire defends herself "but I have to say I'm surprised you weren't pressed against the door. I'm not even into that kind of thing but if I came home with you after spending hours with you looking like this-"

"We're friends." Bonnie stresses, taking the box and placing it in her closet.

Caroline raises her eyebrows but chooses to not give Bonnie the chance to backtrack "So are me and Stefan but he only watched Twilight with me once. And that's only because I was sad. So I really doubt he'd sit through a three plus hour ballet for me. Tyler barely sat through Thirteen Going on Thirty with me and I'm sleeping with him."

"That actually sounds really good right now." Bonnie murmurs "The movie Caroline, God." Bonnie covers her face when Caroline looks her up and down despite seeing the teasing glint in her friend's eyes.

"I'm just saying, I didn't know vampire's could blush." Caroline shrugs missing the way Bonnie perks up at her observation. But before she can continue on with her ramblings, Bonnie's phone starts to ring and she quickly fishes it from her clutch. "Speak of the devil," Caroline grins, raising the phone to her ear before Bonnie can stop her "Bonnie's phone," Caroline answers reclining in Bonnie's bed making a point of ignoring the glare the witch is sending her way.

"...Hi Caroline,"

The blonde smiles knowing he's already put it together and is already preparing himself for their inevitable conversation. Looking over to Bonnie who is standing up with the dvd case in hand despite her arms folded over her chest.

With a wave of her hand Bonnie summons her phone from Caroline's grasp and casts a silencing spell to the blonde's dismay.

"She can't hear us," Bonnie says ignoring the pout on Caroline's face, going to sit at her vanity and remove her makeup.

"I don't think that really works for me."

"They haven't left yet?" Bonnie questions giving a look to Caroline who nods before stopping her spell.

"If you mean my brother and Katherine, they left a few minutes ago but left some company for me."

"Like familiar company or a new face?" The words are out before she can stop herself.

Caroline smiles to herself knowing better than to say anything, unsure which she finds more entertaining, Bonnie's question or Stefan's response.

"You want the answer to that?"

"Looks like I got it anyway." Bonnie replies averting her eyes from Caroline when a look of surprise flashes across her features.

"Bon," Stefan sighs.

"It's not my business." Bonnie quickly cuts him off, wanting to get off of the phone as fast as she possibly can "Katherine is helping me with something in exchange for severing her from her sire line and assisting in an owed debt."

"Malvado isn't someone who's radar I want you to be on."

Mentally Bonnie acknowledges his point. The more she found out about Malvado the more wary and unsettled she became. Between the intel Seth and Richie sent her, Kisa letting her sift through her mind and memories of her sadistic Sire and the culebra's endeavours and ties that surprisingly led back to her own branch of the Supernatural community. She found taking him down to be harder than she thought but as she recently learned from going against the Originals, the more someone had to lose the greater your chance to make them suffer. As long as you were smart about it.

"Stefan, why are calling me?"

"Goodnight, Bonnie."

Bonnie meets Caroline's eyes in the mirror to see the blonde grinning ear to ear and she rolls her eyes but before she gets to respond she hears the sound signaling the end of the call as the deep tone his voice took hits her like a slap to the face.

"He's good,"

"More like corny," Bonnie waves her off, going to put the disc into the waiting slot after removing the last of her makeup, depositing the pile of wipes into the bin.

"Then why do sound like you just ran a marathon?" Caroline grins in spite of the death glare her question earns "He's trying, at least give him that."

"Two words," Bonnie retorts dryly making blue eyes roll.

"Free will. No compulsion. His penance." Caroline rattles off "Or did you mean He's Stefan?"

It's Bonnie's turn to roll her eyes at that part.

"I'm not saying Elena is the last thing on his mind but I really doubt that she's his motivation behind this."

"I was going to say his guilt."

"Or is it yours?" Caroline asks after staring at her, crossing her arms when Bonnie looks at her as if she has lost her mind "Your upset that Stefan is making the ice around your heart melt. That he is putting more effort into earning you than Elena is so you're using her as an excuse to justify his actions but after tonight it's not working so now you're blaming it all on his guilt because you feel guilty for giving him way more than you are giving Elena." she states matter of factly "Which you shouldn't at all."

"Except the only reason he's doing any of this is because he's trying to push her away because he doesn't think he's the best influence right now. As soon as he thinks he's good again. That's it. Back to save Elena, screw everyone else."

"So you think he's using you as a part of his twelve step program?"

"Basically,"

"If Elena had anything to do with this, don't you think Damon would be there to? And before you bring up the B plot," she raises her finger towards the witch when Bonnie opens her mouth "Damon would literally set himself on fire if Elena asked him to at this point. So I'm not convinced. Until you tell me that the past twelve plus hours consisted of nothing but Elena Gilbert without you being the one to bring her up. Elena doesn't have anything to do with what Stefan is doing. You said it yourself that that thing" she points towards Bonnie's closet "is hard to come by. Unless Elena specifically told him to look for it—and considering she knows just as much about it as I did before ten minutes ago—I really doubt it."

"I think you're afraid to let Stefan in because you still see him as Elena's. The more time you spend with him the less you'll be able to just let him go when she finally tugs on his leash. But the thing is, both of you have this annoying thing about you where the more time you spend with you the more important you make someone feel than they really are. So when we back off into the real world we feel like washed up reality tv stars. Why do you think Rebekah is hovering so much? Or Damon crowds your space when you don't look at him for more than two seconds? And before you try to wave me off, you never had to fight me or Elena over either of our attention."

"So you're supporting this because we're both good for an ego boost." Bonnie raises an eyebrow.

Caroline purses her lips realizing how that came out "No, I'm supporting it because you both need a "you" in your lives."

"Care,"

"With the exception of you and Stefan no one shows an ounce of interest to anyone or anything that is not in our bed unless they aren't around or our lives are in danger. I think it would be nice for you to have a friend."

"You are my-"

"Oh please," Caroline scoffs "I haven't been the _best_ friend to you either. If I was then I would have dumped Stefan and dragged Elena up and down the track field by her hair until she agreed to leave them alone. Or set fire to the Mikaelson Mansion with everyone inside. But no, I cry on your shoulder about me and Tyler half the time."

"I wouldn't say half of the time," Bonnie halfheartedly protests.

Caroline side eyes her.

"How is he by the way?"

"Still trying to convince me that Abby's villa isn't as nice as it looks."

 **-X-**

He's surprised when the first thing she does upon regaining consciousness is grab a blood bag from the cooler in the backseat.

"Just drive, Damon." Katherine croaks out when she sees his lips part.

"You never told me what you're getting out of this."

Her only response is to raise the tube to her lips and place her feet on the dash.

"At least tell me why Bonnie went to you of all people for help."

"Did you always talk this much? I remember Stefan asking me questions, trying to get to know me. It was sweet, endearing. But you...I mainly remember just following me around. Watching me from a distance. Letting you think you were doing a good job. It's probably why your stalking is pathetic even as a vampire. So what is it, Damon? Do you want me to repeat what you heard between me and the witch so you know that it's really happening? Or would you rather that I lie to your face, like old times?"

Damon shifts in his seat, his grip on the wheel tightening to the point his knuckles go white when she takes it upon herself to continue without an answer.

"You're getting what you wanted. Bonnie wants out of Mystic Falls. When Bonnie leaves so will the others. And with Elena left with only you and Stefan as her choice of company—but its not like that's anything new for her lately—there will be no one around to talk some sense into her. To stop her from making the worst choice she could ever make. You finally get the girl. So congrats," Katherine mockingly raises her bloodbag to Damon in cheers.

 **-X-**

She departs from her fellow cheerleaders with a smile and a wave, while she and Caroline make their way to their cars parked side by side. Each depositing the bags of their four hour shopping spree in preparation for their school's trip to Whitmore for the following day into the trunk of their cars. Exchanging a hug before going their separate ways. She slides behind the wheel and backs out of her five laps around the parking garage and an almost brawl with a stranger earned spot for taking two spaces due to her blonde friend getting cut off on the interstate.

Other than that it was a good day, filled with easy conversation having nothing to do with supernatural anything. Sales that even the most budget conscious or money to spare wouldn't pass up on. And shoes that were actually her size and didn't have to fight for the last pair.

So to finish her day she decided to hit up what became her favorite coffee spot and take the time to sit and enjoy the peace that usually came with it—aside from her last visit.

Needless to say she's far from pleased when instead of opening her eyes to see cute college boys walking down the block after savoring the taste of her first sip of her caramel frappe. She's forced to put all of her home training to use when she sees him takes a seat in front of her. Thanking the waiter as he sets a mug on the table just as he did her own a minute ago.

Her only response is to stare at her uninvited guest. Pretending to not notice the amusement in his eyes, she drops her gaze to the mug that is halfway to her waiting lips and nods her head silently before rising from her seat. Thinking it to be in her best interest to not drink it at all.

"It would be in your best interest to sit down, Miss Bennett." Elijah Mikaelson advises from his seat, looking up at the young witch expectantly. Calm as ever, a far cry from the last she saw of the Original vampire. And that was when he was in the company of his ruthless, impulsive hybrid of a little brother. Bonnie wonders what caused the change.

" _He's a vampire, you can't go to prison for killing someone who is technically already dead."_ A voice pipes up when she considers putting an end to him right then and there. No that probably wouldn't hold in court. Especially taking physical factors into play. She dismisses her own potential defense for murder in broad daylight.

"As it would be in yours to not show your face in my presence and yet here we are." She replies continuing on her way.

Elijah chuckles at that and quickly follows her lead after placing a crisp hundred dollar bill under his cup after making eye contact with the young man currently in the middle of delivering another order.

"You condemn me for my actions yet do not do the same in regards to everyone else." Elijah says easily catching up to Bonnie "May I ask why?"

Bonnie turns to her adversary then drops her eyes down to the charm gleaming on his cufflinks and smiles. His newfound confidence making sense.

"I hope you found a Bennett to make those for you or it will only serve to do a number on your newly returned ego."

Elijah tenses when he feels the air change around them. Looking down to see the charms taking on a black tint from their original green hue as she makes her point and finds his hands going to pull at his tie on their own accord.

"A little known fact, witches will do whatever favor a vampire asks in payment for saving their lives but they know better than to cross another witch. Especially Bennetts, and from the lack of calling from that charm and the look in your eyes that witch was not from my bloodline." She smirks when she feels a bout of fear hit her.

"You act as if you are better than the rest of your kind. Especially in comparison to your siblings. In the short time that I've known you, you've done nothing but prove that you're no better than them. To me you are worse. You double cross with a smile on your face and that smug look in your eyes and yet people still think of you as the noble one. _That_ is why I cannot stand the sight of you. But the fact that my distaste of you bothers you this much gives me pleasure you will never be able to fathom."

"If you have plans on approaching my father in retaliation for my disrespect," her voice drips with sarcasm "I would strongly suggest that you give it your best shot. He has never been big on restraint." she warns him and starts to turn on her heel to leave but stops and turns to face him once again "By any chance does the Brotherhood of the Five mean anything to you?" Bonnie smiles when she spots the surprise in his eyes before it's gone just as fast as it came "My mother made sure he made them look like puppies in comparison to the ones that came before my father before she took off to put Mikael down. I gave him an added boost and altered the curse that came with the Brotherhood's death before he took off again. And he's been just dying to get his hands on the man behind his wife's fall from grace. So you have fun with that." Bonnie smiles adjusting his tie before leaving him alone on the corner.

 **-X-**

"Her father is part of the five."

Klaus looks up mid stroke of the paintbrush in his hand to his brother that has nearly knocked the doors to his study off of their hinges, noting the panic in his eyes. Then to Kol who has his fangs hovered over a pretty little blonde's neck just as thrown by the announcement as he.

"The five?" Kol frowns turning from Elijah to Klaus "I thought you made them an extinct species."

"Well apparently the girl's mother took it upon herself to fix that." Elijah states, eyes still crazed from the latest development.

"Then why haven't they come for us again?" Kol questions.

Klaus wants to gloat that it was smart of them to not do so after what came of the first batch but then a thought occurs to him.

"Bonnie?" Klaus looks at his older brother for confirmation. A smile pulling at his lips when Elijah nods while Kol outright laughs.

"Full of surprises." their younger brother comments "Care to tell us how you came about this information Lijah?"

The elder's only response is to chuck the cuff links at Kol's face who catches them just before they make contact with his eyes. Eyebrows raising at the black hue and lack of magick coming from them.

"I told you, I have to be the one to get them for you."

"Hate to say it but little Brother here is right." Klaus interjects "If we're going to get a witch to go against their own kind...you're not the Mikaelson to pull it off."

"That is not the point."

"Right," Klaus nods "It's that you were ignorant enough to provoke a Bennett witch on a warpath. When she made it clear that you should stay away from her. Has Mother gotten you to replace dear Finn?" He taunts Elijah, smirking when the vampire has his painting in shreds and his own paintbrush pressed to his neck in the next breath.

"We do not have time for this, Niklaus." Elijah growls into the hybrid's face, eyes lost in red.

"Says the one who tried to intimidate someone that had you a sobbing pathetic mess at her feet." Klaus retorts, shrugging himself out of his brother's vice.

"Didn't you kidnap her after she almost killed you?" Kol points out Klaus' own past treatment.

"Unlike our big brother, I had leverage and emotional instability to play off. Bonnie has made it all to clear that she has no attachments. Not exactly the type of witch that you intimidate. That's the one that you bed."

"And you think you can do that?" Kol snorts. Leave it to his brother to think himself capable of pulling off even the most impossible of feats.

"Not without time that I don't have." Is the answer on the tip of his tongue but he'd be on his literal deathbed before he ever admitted it. Between his blatant terrorism on the ones she insisted on protecting and caring about despite never once showing him what they ever did to earn such devotion from her and his constant pursuit of the blonde vampire. Not to mention his brother's actions serving to do nothing but push her closer to the edge. It would take more than his usual effort to even get Bonnie to look his way at this point. So instead he says,

"If I had saw what she would manage to reduce us to then we wouldn't be in this mess. She'd be at my side. Her friends would be dead. As would Mother and the rest of you if I even hinted that I no longer desired your company. Well except for Bekah." Klaus acknowledges getting the feeling that if given enough time to just be, the two would probably trade turns on pulling on his strings "But in light of recent events," he makes a point of looking at Elijah "I know someone who might."

Kol only rolls his eyes and sinks his fangs into the waiting blonde knowing that this was yet another of the countless times that he wouldn't be in on one of their plans. The way his brothers seemed to just have entire conversations with glances always left him feeling like more of an outsider he had always felt. Aside from Finn—who he never really talked to much to begin with—he was the only one to trigger his witch gene. Unlike the rest of their siblings he understood why his older brother loathed being what they were forced into. Though for different reasons. While he grew to like vampirism, holding on to his first nature through spending time with those who hadn't had their gifts ripped from their hands. Finn hated everything they had become. At the time he didn't understand but once he came across others fallen from grace. He just realized that they all handled it differently.

Though it never made him even think to undagger his brother. He would never say it but he understood Finn's reasoning for turning his back on them. Especially paired with Finn's sharing of being trapped in his mind for eight decades. How his eldest brother hadn't killed them all in a blind rage with his bare hands still astounded him.

Between his thoughts of the past and the blood spilling down his throat. He finds it to be a bit hypocritical on his part for being upset about yet another exclusion since he wasn't exactly keeping them in the loop on his siding with the witch and little sister. But it doesn't stop him from tossing the now lifeless body of his meal at their feet to remind them of his presence.

"Must you be so-"

Klaus watches as Elijah collapses to the floor in a heap then back up to Kol, taking a step back once he sees the wild look in his eyes. One thousand years and hybrid status aside it still made him uneasy. Between his little brother—even when on his best behaviour—and sister when she lost control of her emotions. He wasn't sure who he feared most and with his safety measures no longer being in play, Klaus knew he had to tread lightly.

"It's nothing personal." Klaus attempts to assure his younger brother, hands raised in surrender.

"It never is." Kol grins showing off blood stained teeth before quickly doing the same to Klaus as he did to Elijah.

"A bit much," Bonnie says walking into the room as if it were her own home making Kol jump clearly surprised at her presence. She looks at the youngest Mikaelson brother after spotting the other two lying on the floor along with the lifeless body of a nameless woman, wondering when she became so numb to death. Wasn't this supposed to throw her off or at least spark some reaction? With a deep breath she walks over to Klaus and Elijah, taking a pair of scissors to each of their heads. Dropping locks of their hair into clear plastic bags before taking a syringe to their necks, filling two jars nearly to the brim. Finishing it off with taking strands of werewolf venom from Klaus' canines. Being as though they were all in agreement to this in the first place she didn't see the point in them not being up and aware be the waste of a trip. And not having to speak with either of them was a definite bonus.

"If I asked would you tell me why you need this from us?" Kol questions thinking back to the time where she took the same from Rebekah and himself, though unlike his older brothers, they were conscious.

"If you think I have plans to side with your mother, or to kill all of you myself, the answer is no. With your death comes the death of thousands. Hard to keep a lid on the supernatural community with vampires dropping dead all over the world."

"But Finn,"

"Sage only turned a handful and kept them close. The ones that dared to go against her were done in their last breath. Finn's line died here."

"And you know this how?"

"The Bennett coven stretches throughout the world. Between the living and those on the Other Side, our alliances with other covens and select members of the community, there's not much that I don't know. We didn't last this long by being so self assured on our power alone. No offense." She adds remembering his heritage.

"I won't be apart of my family's death, Bonnie." Kol reiterates.

Bonnie only stares at him, figuring that this was to ease his guilt more than anything else, afterwards going to her bag and retrieving a wooden box. Extending it to Kol for him to take. Watching as he tentatively pops the lid.

"The golden dagger and white oak ash as we agreed." she says watching his eyes light up and she turns to grab her bag "I only care for what is in my best interest and the well-being of your family isn't anywhere near that. I don't expect you to be apart of your family's death. Going by history and its tendency to repeat itself, I know better than to ask. As long as they don't make attempts on my life, I will do the same. If you're that concerned for Elijah just make sure he doesn't push his luck again."

"Or what?" Kol frowns.

"Or what?" Bonnie repeats through a laugh "Why is everything a threat to you people? I am not your enemy Kol, me speaking to you is proof of that alone. I could have you on your knees pleading for me to stop without lifting a hand. I could have daggered you and worn your face. Or just take your will away, as your family is so fond of doing."

"I can't help but notice kill wasn't on that list."

"Do you want it to be?" Bonnie looks at him watching uncertainty creep into his eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I tried to keep this as muted as possible but there are hints of sexual assault in this chapter.**

* * *

"Oh, God, you don't think we were this pathetic, do you?" Mona Vanderwaal questions through something between a glare and pure bafflement as a girl giggles at every word that falls from Noel Kahn's lips.

"We definitely were," Hanna Marin bursts her bubble "we just did it in better shoes."

Mona smiles and raises her red cup to her lips then shifts her gaze to the door where a tall pretty blonde struts inside as if she owns the place. Midnight blue mini dress hugging her slim but toned frame and the matching spiked heels, delicate makeup and hair styled in soft waves flirting with her bare shoulders. She could find not one fault in the girl's appearance and if it weren't for the twist of her lips as her eyes scan the room and the girls flanking her practically bouncing on their heels. Mona thinks that she'd think the girl wasn't one of the high schoolers here on the scheduled campus tour that ended six hours ago, bold enough to sneak out and come party with the other students that would make every high school party back home pale in comparison. Well at least saved the girl at her side. All caramel skin, emerald eyes, midnight curls and sensual makeup perfectly complementing the purple cold shoulder dress doing her body all kinds of favors. Managed to find the perfect balance between showing just enough skin to not be labeled as easy.

Already from the "Hmph," coming from her bestie that's a fine line between impressed and jealous and a quick glance at Noel who has all but forgot the girl making an idiot of herself. Mona knows that she's not the only one whose attention they've managed to catch. But then a guy strolls through the door, fair skin, brown hair on the verge of being dark blonde, eyes that seem to constantly jump between green to hazel to grey then back to green again. And she knows that the girls in the room have abandoned the green eyed monster biting at their ankles in favor of bag the new guy.

"That is called Jailbait," A familiar voice comes from behind the two friends causing each to roll their eyes at the brunette strolling towards them.

"Also taken, from the looks of it." Aria Montgomery adds in turning to Spencer Hastings at the same time before they go back to the herd of high school students that are dispersing as they speak. Save the trio that manage to put the others to shame before the blonde one ventures off on her own with a Zac Efron lookalike after wisely taking a subtle sniff of the red cup he offers leaving the apparent couple to their own devices. But the assumption is proved to be wrong a few seconds later when a bold redhead approaches them making a point of only speaking to the guy that politely entertains her. The girl watching on in amusement before a laugh seems to escape her earning a glare from the redhead. To which she turns to her friend lightly patting her hand on his shoulder before leaving the two alone much to the guy's obvious chagrin.

And that small action is all it takes for the male population to make their way over to the green eyed beauty. Going from the pinched look on the guy she left to the wolves currently circling him it's clear that the interest is only one sided and each of the four girls exchange glances.

"Best friend?" Hanna proposes still questioning the girl's state of mind to flirting with the albeit cute—but average looking—frat over the one looking at her direction every five seconds. Taking the red plastic cup he offers her with a smile.

 **...**

An hour later the party is in full swing and Caroline has all but lost sight of her petite friend and pushes her way through the crowd until she's near the girls that have been watching them all since they stepped through the door.

"Excuse me," She boldly addresses them.

They all turn to see the blonde staring back at them and the one that nearly mirrors her on a purely superficial point raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

"Sorry to interrupt but going by how no one is really coming up to you, you have to know at least something about everyone here." Caroline looks at each of them before directing her attention to Mona who smiles at being singled out.

"The one talking to your friend?"

"Best friend," Caroline readily corrects "Yeah, that would be the one."

"But not the one being swarmed."

Caroline turns to search for the vampire and laughs taking them all by surprise "Oh, no, Stefan is used to that. So the guy?"

"Eric." Mona answers coming up blank on his last name "Quaterback, cute and rich."

"Hm," Caroline purses her lips then straightens up when she looks back for Bonnie to see that she's gone and when she looks for Stefan she sees the vampire politely excusing himself from the girls swarming him. All making their disappointment loud and clear.

"You seem a little big for this to even be a consideration for you." Hanna speaks up.

Caroline nods once Stefan meets her waiting stare then returns her attention to the girl addressing her.

"It's not, I'm getting out of this state as soon as I get my hands on my High School Diploma." Caroline answers honestly making both Hanna and Mona laugh and she can't help but feel a bit smug at the fact but it all comes crashing down when she sees Stefan making his way towards the door.

* * *

He feels the effects of it all but it's not him. In his mind he's watching on helplessly. Panicked screams that to his ears sound like his own pleading for him stop. And yet the sensation of the skin of his knuckles splitting open before mending over and over again as the smell of his own blood permeates the air. Paired with the guy who's now unrecognizable due to his slip into a blind rage are as equally clear.

It's not until a weak voice calls his name that it all stops. His attention going to the figure on the floor of the room reeking of cheap beer, athletic wear in dire need of several trips to the courtesy laundry room, saline, blood and...her. Back against the foot of the bed, hands splayed on each side of her legs. Green eyes staring back at him through heavy lids. It's not until she tries to get up in her own that he moves from his spot and goes over to where she lies and starts to scoop her up into his arms. Though stops short and only continues when she nods her consent. Pushing past who he figures must have been the one that was actually screaming going by the fear in the girl's red puffy eyes, face wet with tears and the way she presses herself into the door as he walks past her. Under any other circumstance he'd stop and check on her wellbeing but the petite witch in his arms gives him little time for anything else.

It's a passing thought that he should put her down but he disregards it. Only pulling her closer as he starts his descent down the stairs of the frat house. Where others in attendance continue on in the night's festivities, completely ignorant to what almost happened. His stride barely stops when a wide eyed Caroline appears in front of him just shy of the door. Chest heaving and lips parting when she sees Bonnie in his arms. On reflex alone he takes a step away from his blonde friend when she takes a step toward him. Going by the position of her arms, with the intent of taking her from him. He understands the concern as he's feeling it all too painfully well but masks it as the optics of the situation. A pretty girl with blonde hair and blue eyes walking around with a girl in her arms—even one of Bonnie's stature—would surely earn more stares than he would. From the furrow of her brows he knows that she doesn't entirely buy his reasoning but goes along with it.

"I'll be waiting at the-"

"No," he quickly interrupts Caroline, making her frown deepen "you should make sure the rest are fine. I'll watch her until you get back."

"Stefan she's my best" Caroline readily starts her defense but the air hitting her face stops her and she's tempted to go after them anyway. The only thing stopping her from writing off Stefan's suggestion being she can practically hear the lecture from each of her two friends already. And the thought of anyone being in the state she just saw Bonnie in makes her sick to her stomach.

Cautions of the buddy system return to the forefront of her mind. Why she even entertained leaving Bonnie's side for as long as she did has bile rising to her throat and tears welling in her eyes. Mystic Falls was a different playing field. A town crawling with supernaturals that her green eyed friend could handle on her own. It was a far cry from a campus filled with humans. After dealing with vampires for so long she forgot that not all monsters lacked heartbeats.

With that in mind she closes her eyes and follows the trail the witch left behind until she's in a poorly lit bedroom. She closes the door behind herself and calmly strolls over to where a girl is kneeling at the side of the guy that was all charming smiles and warm eyes is now all battered and bloody. Dropping to her knees, Caroline looks into the girl's eyes instructing her to keep quiet and to stay still before ripping into her wrist and pressing it to the boy's mouth. Removing her wrist when she sees some of swelling go down around his eyes enough to where he can actually see.

* * *

The covers are already pulled back on each of the full sized beds positioned side by side. The only barrier being the small nightstand housing a pack of makeup removing wipes, two bottles of water and a bottle of aspirin.

He lays her down with all the care in the world. His hands moving on their own volition to her feet, carefully removing each heel. Placing them by the luggage she refused to let him carry. Afterwards sitting on the foot of her bed. A breath that he didn't know he was holding escaping him when he hears the sound of what he assumes to be her snoring. Strange hitches of short breaths followed by abnormally long exhales. The occasional sigh of content or trailed off thought.

He's not sure how long it is before she wakes, but the sun is peeking through the cheap curtains. And there's sounds of birds chirping when he finally hears her voice, heavy with sleep paired with heavy lids that send him back to the late hours of the party before. He should have never let things go that far. What he finally managed to chalk up to some weird jealousy or possessiveness gained after only one day of her attention. Actually turned out to be what he had pegged the apparent football star and unfortunate stereotypical frat boy in the first place.

Seeing the self loathing and regret in his eyes, Bonnie frowns in confusion but flashes of what almost happened resurface. Of course he would feel as if he was to blame and she'd laugh if the situation wasn't so serious. With that in mind she shakes her head as her lips part to assure him otherwise. At least as much as she can through the feeling of a rave going on inside her head and the boneless feeling in her arms as she attempts to sit up in her bed.

"Don't do that," She settles for saying instead.

The words go in one ear and out the other as he mentally berates himself. Opening the water bottle handing it over to her, dumping two pills into her waiting hand.

"I-"

"Came to my rescue just in time." she interrupts him despite knowing that it was far from what he was going to say "I don't know how I can repay you for that but if you have an idea where I can start. I'd love to hear it. As long as it's within reason."

"It wasn't in time. I should have stopped you the moment he touched you." And it's not until those words that she noticed how much space he has between them.

"Because that would have stopped me." she agrees, her sarcasm not lost on him "I didn't feel anything was off until we got upstairs."

"I still should have tried."

"Except you did." Bonnie argues "And I basically told you to stop acting like a jealous boyfriend and to back off. I…" she trails off and takes a deep breath "Honestly, I don't even know why you continue to deal with me, Stefan. I treat you-"

"Exactly how I deserve to be treated by you after what I did." He copies her actions from before. Though unlike her own, there's not one trace of amusement.

Bonnie stares at him for a moment then nods her head with a reluctant smile on her face that he doesn't return. Making her avert her gaze.

"Thank you," she voices her gratitude lowly "Really," she adds, making a point of holding his gaze "I owe you at least that much."

She really doesn't owe him anything. Stefan knows that deep down she knows it just as much as he does. Knowing that she's never been a fan of voicing the obvious, she'd probably kick him out if he continued on disagreeing with her and that they'd spend the whole day going back and forth. Getting nowhere he presses his lips together and concedes.

The longer he stares at her the more self conscious she finds herself feeling under his gaze. After getting past last nights ordeal, it settles in that he's seeing her how she looks first thing in the morning. An unfortunate honor that up until now, no one aside from her father, Grams, Caroline and Elena have done. Out of the corner of her eye she sees the package of makeup removing wipes that she knew she'd use the following morning. Something that Stefan had to have noticed due to the bottle of water in her hand right along with the pills she can feel already taking effect. On their own volition her eyes go to the mirror on the wall playing peekaboo from behind Stefan's head. Taunting her with only a few strands of her hair sticking up.

"You look fine,"

Her eyes snap back to the vampire, to see the laughter in his eyes and his poor attempts at fighting the smile pulling at his lips.

"Best I've seen actually." He adds through a grin.

"Get out," Bonnie nods to the door.

The only reason he doesn't put up a fight being the smile on her face as she voiced the order.

…

She's just slipped into her underwear when Caroline walks through the door. The blonde ignoring her current state of undress as she closes the door behind her with her heel. Barely sparing her from being exposed by the two boys strolling past their room. Still clothed in her dark blue mini dress and matching spiked heels. A cardboard tray in one hand containing two cups of coffee from Starbucks, a white bag with the tell tale Chick Fil A logo in the other.

"Care?" Bonnie calls, taking a cautious step towards her friend. Abandoning the green sundress lying on her bed waiting for her in favor of attending to the distressed look on the vampire's face.

"It should have been me," She says suddenly, blue eyes still on the floor.

"What?" Bonnie frowns.

"I should have been the one to put him in the hospital. Well atleast the first half of the reason." she adds under her breath missing the look on Bonnie's face and talking over whatever it is that Bonnie has said in response "I should have taken you from Stefan and been here. I should have been by your side. Not him."

Bonnie waits until Caroline has finished her ramblings and walks over to where her friend stands. Taking what she assumes to be the blonde's peace offering and placing them on the nearby table. Guiding her over to her bed before going to her own to slip into her dress.

"What did you do?" Bonnie asks in a calm even tone.

"I made sure he couldn't do what he tried to do to you. Ever again."

"I didn't kill him." Caroline quickly adds "At least not in the way you're thinking. I just made sure that he knew why he lost what physically made him identify as a male. And that he could never go through with whatever the doctors proposed to fix his current situation. He has as much of a choice in his anatomy as he gave you. I also may have or may not have crashed his Lamborghini, got him expelled and made sure his apparent girlfriend knew what he did to you."

"And this was all in one night." Bonnie gets out through her surprise.

"Only if you disagree with what I may or may not have done."

Bonnie laughs despite herself, leaning towards Caroline she wraps her arms around the vampire, squeezing her as she says,

"God, I love you."

Caroline sighs and returns the witch's hug as much as she can, closing her eyes and burying her face into Bonnie's hair "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Not being here when you woke up. I should have…" she trails off and pulls away "Where the hell is Stefan?" She frowns looking around the room as if she keeps doing so he'll magically appear.

"I kicked him out." Bonnie replies going over to the table to retrieve her share of breakfast.

"And he listened?"

"He left the room, he didn't leave the floor until he heard you come in."

"But he did stay until-"

"He's Stefan."

"Yeah," Caroline half heartedly agrees "Why did you kick him out?"

"He told me that I look good in the morning."

Caroline averts her gaze.

"Exactly," Bonnie agrees through her side eye at how easily Caroline went.

"You don't look hideous, it's just that you don't look as fabulous as you do post eye crust and bonnet."

"I wasn't wearing my bonnet and I still had last night's makeup on."

Caroline folds her lips and goes to busy herself with the lone box of hash browns and breakfast biscuit.

"Well don't start holding back now."

"You won't like anything I have to say."

"That's never stopped you before."

Caroline slights Bonnie with a look who shrugs in response.

"Tyler tells me that I look beautiful in the morning. The first time he said it was about two weeks before we put a label on what we were."

"I told you that you wouldn't like what I had to say." Caroline defends herself when Bonnie frowns at her.

"That's different, you and Tyler had something to put a label on."

"Yes, friends with benefits. You and Stefan have half of that, and all the best love stories have that foundation."

"Stefan and Elena didn't exactly start as friends."

"Considering where they are now, do you really think they're the best argument?"

"Elena and Matt were friends."

"Matt was in love with her before we could all walk. You're not in love with your friends. Next,"

Nothing, she had nothing.

 **-X-**

He exits the building with a smile on his face that falls as soon as he feels a jolt to his chest. His hand immediately goes for the crossbow tucked in the inside pocket of his tailored made suit as he does a quick sweep of the parking lot. His eyes narrowing when he spots a man donned in an expensive suit that just might put his own to shame leaning against his car. Instead of giving into the urge to toss the man clear across the parking lot he settles for a deep breath and his practiced smile as he calmly strolls over to the man that clearly knows who he is. And when he gets closer he realizes that he does as well. It takes everything in him to not kill him where he stands.

"Elijah Mikaelson," Rudy Hopkins greets the vampire with a smile that he's sure comes off as more of a grimace.

"You know of me?" Elijah questions looking genuinely taken back.

"Hard to not know the bastard that nearly sent my baby girl off the deep end and had my wife's gift ripped from her bare hands."

Elijah chuckles "From my understanding Miss Bennett is your ex wife."

"In the eyes of the law, yes." Rudy acknowledges "But not as much in the community. Still very much bound, not to mention she's the mother of my child."

Elijah flinches at the dark tone the man's voice has taken. A chill cloaking his very being when he notes the way the hunter's eyes went from dark brown to the color of coal.

"You must think very highly of yourself to approach me on your own. Or have you taken it upon yourself to issue another ultimatum to save Elena?"

"Elena has actually chose to work with me this time."

"And that is something that you find pride in? I understand that you all have a common goal and you were raised in a different time but even you have to see how odd it is for a man of your age to run around with teenagers. Kol and Rebekah I understand. At least they look the part but you…" Rudy waves his hand down Elijah's frame "If you were to be seen in public, they'd think you to be the predator that you truly are."

"Your daughter is getting out of hand." Elijah says choosing to ignore the hunter's point.

Rudy takes a step towards him then takes a step back and lifts his hand. A smile on his face as soon as he sees his business partner in the corner of his eye. A blonde that is not his wife—or even his mistress—clinging onto his arm as they make their way to the idling Porsche. Turning back to Elijah as soon as what is sure to be a hefty payout for the woman waiting at home has peeled off down the road.

"My daughter has finally started to come into her own." Rudy corrects eyes filled with rage "If you're here in some pathetic attempt to scare me, kill me or worse threaten her life if I do not get her to go back to being the help. You've wasted your time." The hunter informs, swiftly pushing his hand through Elijah's stomach until he reaches the vampire's spinal cord. Watching as Elijah's eyes go wide and blood starts to fall from his mouth. "The only reason you'll be able to walk away from this is because my daughter still has use of you. But the moment that changes, you won't have to worry about Esther and Alaric because they will not get the chance to put an end to your pathetic existence. I promise that I will be the last thing you see before you leave this world. Then you'll be Sheila's. Don't count on Ayanna coming to save you from my mother in law. Both Bonnie and Qetsiyah have already decreed it." He holds Elijah's panicked filled gaze until the life leaves his eyes with a squeeze of his hand. Removing his limb from the Original's insides, Rudy grimaces at the blood that covers it. He leans down to wipe as much as he can off onto the vampire's shirt before sliding behind the wheel of his car and driving off. But not before turning to face the lone figure watching from their place on the rooftop of the hotel. Raising his blood stained hand in farewell.

Klaus Mikaelson waits until the Jaguar has exited the lot before jumping down from the roof of the twenty story building. Strolling over to his brother's body, he kicks at it for a few seconds. Afterwards pulling out a blood bag and waving it in front of his nose until his brother awakes with a start. Rolling to his side and coughing up blood before taking what he's offered.

"Well it wasn't a bluff." Kol Mikaelson comments coming to a stop at Klaus' side. Directing an Elena look alike to go to their older brother. Who to both Klaus and his own surprise doesn't hesitate at sinking his fangs into her neck as soon as she's offered it to him.

"We could always compel another vampire to kill him." Klaus offers once Elijah's gotten his fill and sends the woman on her way.

"No," Kol shakes his head "Bonnie altered the curse, remember? If she's smart—which is obvious at this point—she's extended to both who carried it out and who ordered it. And make it so you're stuck with him whether another five appears or not for extra measure."

"What makes you so sure of this?" Klaus narrows his eyes.

"It's what any capable witch would do." Kol answers "And we all know that she is well past capable."

"So we either die at the hands of our Mother and her stand in for Father. Or we basically sell our souls to the devil in the form of Bonnie Bennett just to stay alive until she decides otherwise." Elijah muses.

"Well that would be the case for us," Kol says looking at his older brother "From what her father just showed us, you're dead either way. I doubt Bonnie is going to make a case for your life."

"Unless we give her reason to." Klaus interjects making both of his brother's turn to him.

"Zamora," he extends his proposal "Bonnie has surpassed her in power but not in skill. I could have her use me as a battery and switch our Sire lines. Not much of a choice but to keep you alive when the mother of his child's life depends on your survival." Klaus uses Rudy's own words against him.

"You do realize that that makes you fair game for the rest of your enemies, right?" Kol reminds the hybrid.

"Yes, but I'd be under the protection of the Strix. Bonnie's father is a credible threat to them and they would prefer to have him as an ally than an enemy with his nature."

"If that's the case then Lijah would be best off with his line." Kol points out.

Elijah shakes his head "The Strix would have nothing to offer to them. All they would do is bargain for a break for my line. "

"So loyalty wasn't in your vocabulary when you built your little cult?" Kol teases.

"No," Elijah answers honestly "but survival was."


End file.
